Iraqi forces tightened the noose on ISIS militants in western Mosul on Tuesday after one day at a time being able to shrink the group’s areas of control in the city, like reported by aawsat.com.
As their last choice, ISIS militants now resort to suicide car bombs and booby-trapped tires to stop the advancement of Iraqi security forces that opened a new front against the organization in the northerner edge of Mosul’s western side.
“Our forces imposed yesterday their total control over the Harmat district, while the Rapid Response Unit and the Emergency Response Division entered the second Harmat district,” Commander of Federal Police Forces Lieutenant General Raed Shaker Jawdat told Asharq Al-Awsat on Tuesday.
He added: “The terrorists’ defenses have collapsed and they started to flee the area. Our guns, backed by drones, are chasing those who escaped, attacking their vehicles.”
According to Jawdat, 15 ISIS hardliners were killed and five of their booby-trapped vehicles were destroyed.
Also on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry’s elite Emergency Response Division and the army’s 9th Armored Division advanced in several parts of the northwestern side of the city facing heavy fighting from ISIS militants.
Meanwhile, as the Iraqi forces were attacking the hardline group by ground, coalition and Iraqi jets flying overhead conducted air strikes and destroyed several ISIS positions and several car bombs, killing tens of militants.
For his part, Colonel Abdel Rahman al-Khazali, a spokesman for federal police, said that dozens of ISIS militants were killed during the last battles and their corps were still lying on the streets and alleys of the city.
“While our forces were advancing from the Harmat district in the direction of the Iqtisadiyeen neighborhood, dozens of ISIS armed militants escaped inside the Iqtisadiyeen neighborhood, while others have tried to hide among refugees. But our forces opposed them,” al-Khazali said.
