- Title: Elite Iraqi army unit plays key role in Mosul battle
- Date: 23rd October 2016
- Summary: BARTELLA, IRAQ (OCTOBER 22, 2016) (REUTERS) MEMBERS OF THE COUNTER-TERRORISM SERVICE (CTS) BESIDE ARMOURED VEHICLES STENCILED SIGN ON ARMOURED VEHICLE READING (Arabic): 'COUNTER-TERRORISM SERVICE' VARIOUS OF CTS MEMBER PUTTING ON PROTECTIVE GEAR CTS MEMBER WRAPPING SCARF AROUND HIS NECK VARIOUS OF CTS MEMBERS GATHERED CTS MEMBERS EMBRACING EACH OTHER EXTERIOR OF MAKESHIFT OFFICE HEAD OF THE COUNTER TERRORISM UNIT, LIEUTENANT GENERAL ABDELGHANI AL-ASSADI, SPEAKING TO REUTERS JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF THE COUNTER TERRORISM UNIT, LIEUTENANT GENERAL ABDELGHANI AL-ASSADI, SAYING: "The unit was built on a strong and stable foundation. We focused, depended on quality (of the men) rather than quantity." AL-ASSADI'S RANK ON HIS EPAULETTE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF THE COUNTER TERRORISM UNIT, LIEUTENANT GENERAL ABDELGHANI AL-ASSADI, SAYING: "The latest battle took place in the south of Mosul, specifically in Qayyara. Qayyara is a very important area. Daesh depended on it for their funding because it has oil wells, a refinery and other economic establishments." CTS ARMORED VEHICLES VARIOUS OF SOLDIER SHOWING A SUICIDE BELT CAPTURED FROM ISLAMIC STATE SOLDIER STANDING NEAR ARMOURED VEHICLE IRAQI FORCES STANDING BY ROADSIDE AS CTS VEHICLE DRIVES BY MEMBER OF CTS, BAHAA, SITTING ON VEHICLE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MEMBER OF THE CTS, BAHAA, SAYING "We are loyal to it (the unit) and we love it because the fighting is fierce. When we target locations where our enemy Daesh is, we never leave our friends behind. Yesterday, one of our team was martyred because when his friend was injured inside a building, he refused to leave him behind." CTS MEMBER SPEAKING ON PHONE CTS MEMBER, HUSSEIN KARIM, STANDING WITH OTHERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CTS MEMBER, HUSSEIN KARIM, SAYING: "Firstly, (the unit) undergoes special training. It's not the training that the other forces have, it's special training, we make special preparations, everything is special. I am sure that anyone who joins this unit, even if the person is a normal civilian, when he joins, he will become brave and heroic. All our boys are very brave." VARIOUS OF CTS MEMBERS AND VEHICLES
- Embargoed: 7th November 2016 10:39
- Keywords: Mosul Iraq Islamic State Bartella CTS
- Location: BARTELLA, IRAQ
- City: BARTELLA, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA00155851S7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: An elite Iraqi army unit says it is spearheading the campaign to retake Mosul from Islamic State.
Lieutenant General Abdelghani al-Assadi, who heads the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS), says his highly-trained unit recently expelled the militants from the Qayyara oil region near Mosul, allowing dozens of residents to safely return home.
"The latest battle took place in the south of Mosul, specifically in Qayyara. Qayyara is a very important area. Daesh depended on it for their funding because it has oil wells, a refinery and other economic establishments," he said.
The CTS, also known as the Golden Division, is part of an Iraqi force of about 30,000, who are advancing towards Mosul, the Islamic State's final stronghold in Iraq.
Founded in 2007, the unit was modelled on American Special Operations and has received U.S weapons and training.
In June, retired U.S. Lieutenant General Mick Bednarek said that with few exceptions, the CTS was the most effective and only truly non-sectarian fighting force in Iraq.
As well as capturing Qayyara, the unit also last week retook the town of Bartella, once home to thousands of Assyrian Christians.
CTS spent Friday shuttering tunnels dug by the militants and removing mines in the town.
Unit members say they are well trained to carry out such tasks.
"Firstly, (the unit) undergoes special training. It's not the training that the other forces have, it's special training, we make special preparations, everything is special. I am sure that anyone who joins this unit, even if the person is a normal civilian, when he joins, he will become brave and heroic," said CTS member Hussein Karim.
Iraqi forces sustained few casualties in the battle to recapture Bartella, though military officials have refused to provide specific figures. A battalion commander told Reuters two CTS members had been killed.
The CTS are spearheading the Mosul offensive along with Kurdish Peshmerga forces and Iraq's army and national police. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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