- Title: Iraqi forces close in on Mosul's Old City
- Date: 16th May 2017
- Summary: GROUP OF RAPID RESPONSE MEMBERS STANDING BY VEHICLE VARIOUS OF BLACK SMOKE BILLOWING FROM BURNING REMAINS OF CAR BOMB VARIOUS OF PLUME OF SMOKE RISING INTO SKY INJURED GIRL CARRIED BY MEMBER OF RAPID RESPONSE MEMBER OF RAPID RESPONSE GIVING REPORT THROUGH RADIO BRIGADIER GENERAL MAHDI AND GROUP OF RAPID RESPONSE MEMBERS IN A HOUSE TURNED INTO A TEMPORARY BASE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BRIGADIER GENERAL MAHDI, SAYING: "Our troops are pushing deeper inside 17 Tammuz district with only small part remaining untaken. Daesh is locking civilians inside their houses to slow the advance of our troops and this in fact has slowed advance of our troops as our priority is to liberate families from Daesh. However, this technique would not stop the advance of our troops and God willing only small part is remaining." VARIOUS OF CIVILIANS LEAVING DISTRICT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT OF 17 TAMMUZ DISTRICT, MAY ABDUL MUHSIN, SAYING: "They (Iraqi forces) saved us from Daesh injustice, thanks God" JOURNALIST ASKING: "Can you describe their treatment?" "They treat us badly. They interfere in everything even in personal and private business of the families." RAPID RESPONSE MEMBER CHECKING IDENTIFICATION CARDS OF GROUP OF MEN CHILDREN AND WOMEN GETTING INTO BACK OF RAPID RESPONSE VEHICLE PEOPLE GETTING INTO BACK OF PICK-UP TRUCK PEOPLE SITTING IN BACK OF PICK-UP TRUCK HUMVEE DRIVING ALONG ROAD POWER LINES AND DAMAGED VEHICLES ON STREET DAMAGED VEHICLE ON STREET VARIOUS OF BLACK SMOKE RISING / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE
- Embargoed: 30th May 2017 17:56
- Keywords: battle Mosul Islamic State Old City Rapid Response units
- Location: MOSUL, IRAQ
- City: MOSUL, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA0036H39GSN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
Iraqi forces battled to retake districts of western Mosul still under Islamic State control on Tuesday (May 16), in an attempt to seize victory before the holy month of Ramadan.
After seven months of fighting, militants have been dislodged from all but 12 square km of Mosul, a military spokesman said on Tuesday, after planes dropped leaflets into the city telling civilians the battle was nearly won.
Backed by U.S.-led coalition air strikes and advisers, Iraqi forces have made rapid gains since opening a new front in the northwest of Mosul earlier this month, closing in on the Old City.
Outnumbered, militants have retaliated with suicide car bombs and snipers embedded among the hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in west Mosul. Many local people have been killed by militants or heavy bombardments.
The Iraqi government said last week the number of people fleeing Mosul had more than doubled to about 10,000 a day. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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