Officer: forces begin installing floating bridge to western Mosul

Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi forces began Tuesday the installation of a floating bridge that will help bring supplies from the east of Mosul to forces fighting Islamic State militants in the west.

Abdul-Karim al-Sabaawi, a Brig. Gen. in the Iraqi army, said in press statements that the engineering teams had begun erecting the floating bridge that will link both sides of the Tigris River, which bisects the city.

There are five bridges linking eastern and western Mosul above the Tigris River. The bridges were partially destroyed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes during operations in eastern Mosul to hinder attempts by Islamic State fighters to escape to the west. Iraqi commanders said recently they were planning to erect a bridge across the river to allow military supplies into the west.

Iraqi troops, starting a new offensive on western Mosul on February 19th, have recently pushed closer to central Mosul, where many strategic government facilities are located.

The eastern section was retaken late January after three months of operations.

The Iraqi migration ministry said Monday operations in western Mosul had so far forced 14.000 civilians to flee the region, bringing the total of people leaving Mosul since the start of operations in October at 235.000.