Iraq says army makes gains in gruelling Mosul battle

Record ID: 76814

  • Title: Iraq says army makes gains in gruelling Mosul battle
  • Date: 11th December 2016
  • Summary: CLOUD OF SMOKE BEHIND BUILDING / RUBBLE LYING IN STREET CTS COMMANDER LIEUTENANT-GENERAL ABDUL GHANI AL-ASADI WITH CTS FORCES IN STREET / CTS MEMBER BODY SEARCHING MAN / MAN KISSING LIEUTENANT GENERAL ASADI IRAQI MILITARY HUMVEE DRIVING PAST BUILDING / GRAFFITI WRITTEN ON WALL READING (Arabic) "ISLAMIC STATE CALIPHATE" CTS FORCES IN STREET CIVILIANS IN STREET PEOPLE IN FRONT OF HOUSE GREETING CTS FORCES WOMEN ULULATING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CTS COMMANDER, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL ABDUL GHANI AL-ASADI, SAYING: "This neighbourhood was liberated half an hour ago. You can see the people of the neighbourhood welcoming the forces." STREET BLOCKED BY PILE OF SAND / HUMVEE FLYING IRAQI FLAG NEARBY PEOPLE GREETING FORCES RESIDENT GREETING GENERAL MAAN AL-SAADI, CTS COMMANDER RESIDENTS STANDING IN FRONT OF HOUSE TO GREET FORCES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CTS COMMANDER, GENERAL MAAN AL-SAADI, SAYING: "By liberating al-Noor district we have completed the first phase of the operation. We will liberate the remaining six districts within the few coming days and we will reach the Tigris and thus fully liberate the left side (eastern part) of the city." CTS FORCES AND HUMVEES IN STREET CTS HUMVEES IN STREET CTS FORCES IN STREET WITH LITTLE GIRL (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED RESIDENT, SAYING: "Thank God, the forces of the Counter-Terrorism Service have liberated us. We have been saved and we are saying to our families that we are good and safe. Thank God, we have been saved. Thank God the area is safe and the counter-terrorism forces are here and we hope for the better." CTS MEMBER TALKING TO LITTLE GIRL CTS DISTRIBUTING FOOD CTS MEMBER TAKING POT FROM GIRL CTS FORCES TAKING FOOD GIRL TAKING POT FULL OF FOOD AND WALKING TO HOUSE WITH CTS
  • Embargoed: 26th December 2016 20:30
  • Keywords: Mosul Iraq Islamic State Daesh assault advance Abdul Ghani al-Asadi
  • Location: No-Data-Available
  • City: No-Data-Available
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA0035CFWC3R
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
    The Iraqi army said it took full control of one more district of east Mosul on Sunday (December 11), pushing back Islamic State militants in a slow and hard-fought advance into the city whose one million residents face growing shortages of fuel, water and food.
    A military statement said elite Counter Terrorism Service troops took over the neighbourhood of al-Noor, expanding their area of control in the east of the city.
    Despite the reported advance, the army's progress in Mosul remains painstakingly slow, with soldiers facing brutal counter attacks from the hugely outnumbered but well prepared and heavily armed jihadists who have controlled the city since mid-2104.
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