Lieutenant General Abdelwahab al-Saadi (C) and members of Iraqi Counter Terrorism Forces hold an Islamic State flag which they pulled down during a battle with Islamic State militants, east of Mosul, Iraq, January 11, 2017. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad
Reuters: Iraqi forces push further into northeast Mosul
Iraqi forces made new advances against Islamic State in eastern Mosul and fought the militants in areas near the Tigris river on Wednesday, military officials said, keeping up the momentum of a renewed offensive in the jihadists' last major Iraqi stronghold.
Elite troops have pushed into a several neighbourhoods in the east and northeast of the city in the past few days as they try to reach the Tigris River bisecting Mosul before launching an offensive on the west, all of which the militants still hold.
The counter-terrorism service (CTS) were advancing into the northeastern Sadeeq and 7th Nissan districts, according to a senior commander on the ground.
A Reuters reporter in eastern Mosul saw CTS forces fighting Islamic State militants in Sadeeq, firing towards Mosul University and into the adjacent Hadba area, which army units advancing from the north had breached a day earlier.
The forces are expected to meet somewhere in between.
Read more ....
The Battle For The Iraqi City Of Mosul -- News Updates January 11, 2017
Battle for Mosul: Iraqi forces advance into Islamic State stronghold as officials fear mounting death toll -- ABC News Online
Fierce battles leave hospital in Iraqi city of Mosul gutted -- Washington Post/AP
Battle for Mosul: Hospital left a burnt-out shell after US-coalition planes drop 25 bombs on the building -- International Business Times
Islamic State fights losing battle in eastern Mosul -- Reuters
IS resistance in Mosul is weakening: commander -- AFP
Iraqi forces advance further into IS stronghold in Mosul -- CCTV
Iraq forces have retaken 80% of east Mosul: spokesman -- AFP
Top Iraqi commander: Mosul could be liberated in 3 months -- AP
When Will Mosul Offensive End? Iraq's Operation Against ISIS Could End In 3 Months Or Less, Official Says -- International Business Times
Hashd commander seeks revenge west of Mosul -- RUDAW
Bombed Mosul bridge still lifeline for long-suffering civilians -- Reuters
Isil cuts water supply to residents in liberated Mosul -- The Telegraph
Hundreds from eastern Mosul getting medical attention amid fight to retake Iraqi city -- UN News Centre
UN: More Iraqi Civilians Fleeing Mosul as Military Operations Intensify -- VOA
Refugees up to 173.000 since start of Mosul Battle -- Iraqi News
Pentagon: U.S. could keep anti-Islamic State presence in Iraq after Mosul falls -- UPI
PHOTOS: ISIS Battles Shia Militias in East Mosul, Iraq -- Heavy
6 comments:
Lazslo,
Looks like there is a good chance they'll do it and prove me wrong and you right.
James:
I just accidently catches your comment before going to sleep. As I seen the last map updates, only the old ruins, the riverside, 1 civil district and 2 industrial district remained on the hand of IS, North of the river. This is not bad, that's true, but the western/southern side is expected to be harder, and it's basically one huge civil district, covered by a river from two sides.
Yes, it's seems Iraqi forces will capture the city, but what bugging my mind is that how they planned to do the capture of the areas west of Mosul. In the CJTF briefing video there were some hints that they still want to keep the previously stated promise, that Iraqi forces (and not Shia only forces, like PMF or Kurds) will capture Tal-Afar, but the timeline is still unknown, because both capturing outside areas first and than Mosul, and the opposite of this would be logical. Anyway I expect the Iraqis to push out IS forces of Mosul, just like they did so far, instead of cutting them from Tal-Afar, and force them to stay in Mosul. Even if this is not a very "intense" phase of the battle for me/us, but it's well show that even if US military get some "blame" nowadays, they do know what they doing when it's comes to military planning and strategies.
I do not know how many times I need to speak about the faith, James. Let that good spirits flow in you, because the road to Raqqa is still ahead, and this road is full of scepticism.
Laszlo,
Perhaps you may need to speak of it every time with me, though I do see improvement (in me and the Iraqi's).
The Iraqis: It doesn't matter how well someone's trained, equipped, and supported, if they don't have the will to fight they will run. There are people on this commentary board who I think have served with the Iraq's and who are much better placed to comment on this and if I'm talking out of my hat. If they are, feel free to comment. That said, I think I'm seeing improvements in the Iraqi's above the small unit level in that very subject and in cohesiveness amongst units battalion size and a little bigger. Of coarse they have US air, artillery, intel, and some ground support, but they still seem to be shall we say growing up. I think that east Mosul operations are where it's happening for them.
If they come out of this with legitimate war groups say of the corp formation size, it brings up an interesting future dilemma. You would have large operating armed formations (of Sunni nature) under the ersatz control of a government of decidedly Shia nature. The recipe for another mini civil war.
ISIS: It seems they are finally on the "short end of the stick" with the bombing campaigns in Baghdad etc being diversionary, and they seem to be shifting west southwest. As I've said before if you're not defeating an enemy you're just training him.
As for faith, old lessons and experiences die very hard. The two greatest sins you can make in conflict is 1) underestimate your enemy and 2) overestimate your enemy which is as bad if not worse than #1 as it robs you of initiative. Well we'll see. To be truthful there are times I feel like an officer of an old line regiment of musketry trying to comment on modern armor warfare.
Laszlo,
A little piece of news that goes along with my Iraq under Shia/Iranian influence; Iraj Masjedi has been named Iran's ambassador to Iraq. This puts a Quds operational commander in the heart of the Baghdadi government. I have long watched Muqtada al-Sadr. He has been the face of Iranian influence in extra-governmental Baghdad for a long time. This does not mean that he is 100% Iranian in outlook, he has entertained personal ambitions for a long time. With Iraj Masjedi now in Baghdad, I would look for a move against Sadr, to remove him from the scene, politically or permanently.
My fears in a post-war Iraq is based more on the Kurds and how they will bend over the political pressure, than the Sunni-Shia infightings. This Masjedi and possible Sadr move would be a logical step for Iran to increase stability, but we will see what else they gonna change.
About the Iraqian forces improvement, I see a similar effect that I have seen on SAA forces because of Russians, and on Kurds because of US forces. The soldiers, even the smallest ones seems to feel a better "protection", that someone stepping up for them and helping them to win, and even if things go bad, there will be someone to help them out. I do not know how much this effect is calculated during the planning phase, but I guess they count it. And who knows James when will we use some line-battle tactics in a modern battlefield.
Laszlo,
"And who knows James when will we use some line-battle tactics in a modern battlefield." Hopefully, not in my lifetime. Every asshole in a thousand yards with a rifled weapon would be drawing a bead on my too tall self.
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