- Title: Air strikes and artillery pound Bashiqa
- Date: 7th November 2016
- Summary: BASHIQA, IRAQ (NOVEMBER 7, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HEAVY DUST AND SMOKE RISING FROM A NEARBY CAR BOMB EXPLOSION FOLLOWING HELICOPTER AIR STRIKE CLOUD OF SMOKE RISING ANOTHER EXPLOSION TARGETED BY HELICOPTER AIR STRIKE, CLOUD OF SMOKE RISING THIRD EXPLOSION TARGETED BY HELICOPTER AIR STRIKE, CLOUD OF SMOKE RISING VARIOUS OF PESHMERGA FORCES AND ARMOURED VEHICLES PESHMERGA FIGHTER RELOADING BULLETS ON ARMOURED VEHICLE PESHMERGA FIGHTERS GATHERING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PESHMERGA COMMANDER, JOKO RIKANI, SAYING: "There were suicide car bombs that held us back. There were also suicide bombers and snipers in the town. We are slowly cleansing the area, God willing, within one hour or two it will all be done." VARIOUS OF SMALL PLUMES OF SMOKE RISING FROM ROOFS (AUDIO OF EXPLOSIONS AND GUNFIRE) PESHMERGA FIGHTER NEAR HUMVEE (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE) THICK DARK SMOKE RISING FROM ROOFTOPS PESHMERGA FIGHTERS GROUPED NEAR HUMVEE (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE) SMALL EXPLOSIONS AND CLOUDS OF SMOKE NEAR TARGETED BUILDING (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE) PESHMERGA HUMVEE (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE) EXCHANGE OF GUNFIRE SEEN IN BUILDING VARIOUS OF CONVOY OF HUMVEES
- Embargoed: 22nd November 2016 14:23
- Keywords: Iraq Bashiqa airstrikes Peshmerga car bomb Islamic State
- Location: BASHIQA, IRAQ
- City: BASHIQA, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA00157G4QPZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Artillery and helicopter air strikes pounded Bashiqa, some 15 km (10 miles) from Mosul, on Monday (November 7) after the first waves of a 2,000-strong peshmerga force entered the Iraqi town on foot and in armoured vehicles or Humvees.
Joko Rikani, a commander for the forces, described the obstacles they faced.
"There were suicide car bombs that held us back. There were also suicide bombers and snipers in the town. We are slowly cleansing the area, God willing, within one hour or two it will all be done," Rikani said.
A large explosion caused by a nearby car bomb followed by a thick cloud of smoke was seen rising from among the rooftops.
More explosions caused by helicopter air strikes struck the area as the sound of gunfire ensued.
Mosul, the largest Islamic State-controlled city in either Iraq or Syria, has been held by the group since its fighters drove the army out of northern Iraq in June 2014.
The Mosul campaign, the most complex military operation in Iraq in a decade, brings together a force of around 100,000 soldiers, security forces, Shi'ite militias and peshmerga, backed by a U.S.-led coalition, to crush the Sunni jihadists. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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