Iraqi joint forces managed to restore their control on new areas and districts in Mousl, in the framework of the current military operation to liberate the second largest city in the country from the grip of extremist groups. Meanwhile, sources revealed that the Syrian governmental troops transferred a large number of their fighters to the desert area on the borders between Syria and Jordan.
Syria's military launched a new assault Tuesday aimed at reasserting its authority in the east of the country, battling U.S.-backed opposition fighters in the remote desert near the borders with Iraq and Jordan. The government forces' ultimate goal is to insert itself in the fight against the Islamic State group in the oil-rich region.
The government offensive came as the Trump administration announced it would arm Syria's Kurdish fighters "as necessary" to recapture the key Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa. The decision is meant to accelerate the Raqqa operation, but is strongly opposed by key NATO ally Turkey, which sees the Syrian Kurdish group, known as the YPG, as an extension of the Kurdish insurgency raging in its southeast.
The decision is likely to complicate the way going forward, as the U.S. has deployed additional troops to act as a buffer between Syria's Kurds and Turkey along the country's northern border.
In the same context, Islamic State militants control only nine percent of territories in western Mosul, a spokesperson of the Iraqi command said on Monday as battles reach the group’s final strongholds.
Brig. Gen. Yahia Rasoul, spokesperson of the Joint Operations Command, said Iraqi forces invaded the northern section of 17 Tamuz, the first district Islamic State captured in the city in 2014. He added that only a few number of militants are remaining in the city, suffering scarcity of food and combat supplies.
Meanwhile, Federal Police chief Shaker Jawdat was quoted by al-Arabiya news channel saying his forces killed 173 Islamic State members while invading the Uraybi and Refaie districts. He said forces had also invaded the Ektesadiyeen district.
He said in a statement that police seized the group’s biggest chemical weapons factory run by the group in 17 Tamuz district, defusing several chemical IEDs. According to Jawdat, 60 senior IS members fled with their families from 17 Tamuz.
Iraqi forces moved through a new front in western Mosul earlier this month, targeting the strategic, IS-held Old City from the northwestern direction, having encircled the city from the southern entrance for weeks. Iraqi commanders have predicted to recapture Mosul before the holy month of Ramadan, which starts May 27th. Government forces took over eastern Mosul in January.
The paramilitary troops have freed a village, east of Qairawan region, and besieged another in western Mosul. In a statement, Al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) said that troops “fully liberated Tal Qasab village, east of Qairawan, from the Islamic State militants.”
“Huge losses in lives and weapons were inflicted on the enemy,” the statement said adding that Bashuk village in western Mosul has been besieged. A stash of weapons and explosives factory were found in east of Qairawan, the troops said in other statements.
Earlier on Sunday, the PMUs declared reaching to the last IS supply routes of Qahtaniyah -Qairawan in the west after cutting all the roads in Qairawan. The troops also declared that the militants withdrew from the front defense lines to inside Qairawan.
Many villages in Qairawan region, a main Islamic State bastion which links between Tal Afar town and the Syrian borders, were freed over the past two days as the troops launched an offensive on Friday to free the region.
The eastern side of Mosul was recaptured in January following three months of battles. Another offensive was launched in February to recapture the western flank of the city. Iraqi commanders predict recapturing the remaining parts of the city this month.