- Title: Iraqi forces close in on Mosul's Old City
- Date: 16th May 2017
- Summary: 17 TAMMUZ DISTRICT, WEST MOSUL, IRAQ (MAY 16, 2017) (REUTERS) HUMVEE OF RAPID RESPONSE UNIT DRIVING ALONG ROAD HUMVEE TRAVELLING PAST PICK-UP TRUCK AND DESTROYED HOUSES ARMOURED VEHICLE DRIVING ALONG ROAD VARIOUS OF ARMOURED VEHICLE OF RAPID RESPONSE UNIT OFF ROAD / FIRING VARIOUS OF PLUME OF SMOKE FROM BOMBED TARGETS / AUDIO OF EXPLOSION CAR BURIED UNDER RUBBLE OF DESTROYED HOUSE VARIOUS OF RUBBLE OF DEMOLISHED HOUSES / DESTROYED BUILDING
- 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: LVA0016H39GSN
- 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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