- Title: Gunfire, air strikes as military closes in on militants' positions in Mosul
- Date: 3rd July 2017
- Summary: MOSUL, IRAQ (JULY 3, 2017) (REUTERS) THICK WHITE SMOKE RISING IN DISTANCE FROM DESTROYED BUILDINGS, DOME OF DESTROYED AL-NURI MOSQUE (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE) BLACK SMOKE RISING FROM DESTROYED BUILDINGS IN DISTANCE (AUDIO OF EXPLOSIONS, GUNFIRE) THICK SMOKE RISING FROM AIRSTRIKE (AUDIO OF EXPLOSIONS) SMOKE RISING FROM BUILDING (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE)
- Embargoed: 17th July 2017 09:10
- Keywords: Old City of Mosul Mosul offensive air strikes Islamic State Iraqi army U.S.-Iraqi forces al-Nuri Mosque U.S.-lead coalition air strikes
- Location: MOSUL, IRAQ
- City: MOSUL, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA0016O5VZUV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Air strikes and fierce gun battles echoed across the Old City of Mosul on Monday (July 3) as Iraqi forces closed in on Islamic State militants' remaining positions.
Thick smoke rose from the remains of the Grand al-Nuri Mosque which Islamic State jihadists blew up in June and from where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared his caliphate over parts of Iraq and Syria three years ago.
Mosul's fall would mark the effective end of the Iraqi half of the caliphate. The group still controls territory west and south of Mosul, where tens of thousands of civilians live.
A U.S.-led international coalition is providing air and ground support to the offensive, which Iraq's army and militarised police are also fighting in a multi-pronged attack.
Nearly nine months of grinding urban warfare have displaced 900,000 people, about half the city's pre-war population, and killed thousands, according to aid organisations. Thousands of residents are believed to be trapped in the Old City with little food, water, medicine and no access to health services. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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