- Title: Iraqi forces advance in Mosul, bring aid to residents
- Date: 4th December 2016
- Summary: AL-RAHMA NEIGHBOURHOOD, EAST OF MOSUL, IRAQ (DECEMBER 4, 2016) (REUTERS) BLACK HUMVEE OF COUNTER-TERRORISM SERVICE (CTS) DRIVING IN STREET STREWN WITH RUBBLE/AUDIO OF GUNFIRE CTS HUMVEE IN STREET/FIRING/AUDIO OF GUNFIRE CTS MEMBER IN STREET FIRING CTS COMMANDER, LIEUTENANT GENERAL ABDUL WAHAB AL-SAADI, WITH GROUP OF CTS MEMBERS IN STREET/ROCKET FIRED BY CTS FORCES ON ISLAMIC STATE SOURCE OF FIRE/AUDIO OF GUNFIRE HUMVEE DRIVING IN STREET STREWN WITH RUBBLE/DESTROYED BUILDING DRONE FLYING OVER AREA GROUP OF CTS FORCES NEAR HUMVEE IN STREET/AUDIO OF HEAVY GUNFIRE/SMOKE BILLOWING AT DISTANCE HUMVEE PARKING NEAR BUILDING WALL RIDDLED WITH SHRAPNEL HOLES VARIOUS OF SMOKE BEHIND HOUSES/AUDIO OF GUNFIRE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CTS COMMANDER, LIEUTENANT GENERAL ABDUL WAHHAB AL-SAIDI, SAYING: "Since early morning our troops have been clearing out around 40 Islamic State militants. Behind me is the archaeological mount, which lies in the centre of the city of Mosul. It's an ongoing operation and we have killed most of the militants." AREA/AUDIO OF EXPLOSIONS PLUME OF THICK SMOKE COMING UP FROM BEHIND BUILDING PEOPLE STREAMING OUT OF NEIGHBOURHOOD SEEN THROUGH WINDOW OF HUMVEE DRIVING THROUGH STREET GROUP OF CIVILIANS CARRYING CHILDREN AND BELONGINGS WAITING FOR ARMY TO TRANSPORT THEM TO ANOTHER NEIGHBOURHOOD GROUP OF CIVILIANS CARRYING BELONGINGS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAN DISPLACED FROM IS-CONTROLLED AL-MUROOR NEIGHBOURHOOD, SAYING: "People are trapped in the neighbourhood and some have been killed. People are innocent. They threatened us to try to force us to leave with them, but we refused." CTS MEMBER WALKING INTO SCHOOL BUILDING USED BY IS MILITANTS SIGN READING (Arabic): "EDUCATIONAL INSTRUCTOR" CTS MEMBER POINTING TO IMPROVISED BOMB LEFT UNDER CHAIR CHAIRS UNDER STAIRS ATTACHED TO BOMBS BOMB ATTACKED TO CHAIR IN CORRIDOR OF SCHOOL AL-SAMAH NEIGHBOURHOOD, EAST OF MOSUL, IRAQ (DECEMBER 4, 2016) (REUTERS) WOMEN LINING UP TO GET AID IRAQI SECURITY MEMBER CHECKING IDENTIFICATION PAPERS OF FAMILY CROWD OF DISPLACED PEOPLE NEAR WATER TANKER WOMEN AND CHILDREN LINING UP TO GET AID MEN CARRYING GAS CANISTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNNAMED RESIDENT FROM SAMAH NEIGHBOURHOOD, SAYING: "Actually a team of the election committee in Nineveh province has volunteered to raise funds to buy blankets. In coordination with the displaced committee at Khazer area, we distributed blankets in Samah neighbourhood. We hope that all the departments will do the same and raise money and buy aid to help the people who badly need it." CROWD OF PEOPLE NEAR TRUCK WITH GAS CANISTERS PEOPLE CARRYING GAS CANISTERS WALKING AWAY FROM TRUCK CHILD KEEPING GUARDS NEAR GAS CANISTER AND BELONGINGS DISPLACED PEOPLE WAITING TO GET AID (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNNAMED RESIDENT FROM SAMAH NEIGHBOURHOOD, SAYING: "Sometimes they bring us food, sometimes they bring gas. We line up here and the truck stays for half an hour and then it leaves before all the people get what they need. They are now distributing gas." PEOPLE LINING UP TO GET GAS FOR COOKING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE LINING UP TO GET BLANKETS WATER TANKER PEOPLE CARRYING JERRY CANS LINING UP NEAR TANKER PEOPLE RUNNING TO GET AID VARIOUS OF DISPLACED WAITING TO GET AID
- Embargoed: 19th December 2016 18:43
- Keywords: Iraq Mosul Islamic State offensive residents aid
- Location: AL-RAHMA AND AL-SAMAH NEIGHBOURHOODS, EAST OF MOSUL, IRAQ
- City: AL-RAHMA AND AL-SAMAH NEIGHBOURHOODS, EAST OF MOSUL, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA0015BGXTMV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Iraqi special forces battled to flush out three dozen Islamic State fighters from another eastern Mosul district on Sunday (December 4) in a fierce struggle with retreating militants.
In a series of counter-attacks since Friday night, the jihadist fighters struck elite Iraqi troops spearheading the offensive in eastern Mosul, and attacked security forces to the south and west of the city.
On Sunday two militants tried to attack army barracks in the western province of Anbar. Police and army sources said the attackers were killed before they reached the base.
Iraqi officials say they continue to gain ground against the militants who still hold about three-quarters of the country's largest northern city.
One military source said the militants had taken back some ground, but predicted their gains would be short-lived.
But the fierce resistance means the military's campaign is likely to stretch well into next year.
This has prompted fears among residents and aid groups of a winter food, water and fuel supply crisis for the million residents still in Islamic State-held areas of the city.
The capture of Mosul, the largest city under control of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, is seen as crucial towards dismantling the caliphate the militants declared over parts of the two countries in 2014.
Some 100,000 Iraqi soldiers, Kurdish security forces and mainly Shi'ite paramilitary forces are participating in the assault that began on October 17, with air and ground support from a U.S.-led international military coalition.
A senior officer in the Counter Terrorism Services (CTS) said its troops battled on Sunday to clear Islamic State fighters from one eastern Mosul district, using heavy machine guns and rockets.
"People are trapped in the neighbourhood and some have been killed," said one resident fleeing into an area controlled by Iraqi forces. "They threatened us to try to force us to leave with them, but we refused," he said referring to militants.
Hundreds of residents in another neighbourhood retaken from Islamic State queued for cooking gas canisters, some squabbling among themselves for a place in the line, others carting away their cylinders on their backs or in wheelbarrows and carts.
Iraqi commanders say they have killed at least 1,000 Islamic State fighters. A government adviser estimated the jihadist group now had about 4,000 fighters in Mosul. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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