Gunmen raid home of ISIS’ Nineveh “governor,” kill 2 guards

(IraqiNews.com) Nineveh – A group of unknown armed individuals attacked on Saturday the home of the so-called “Governor of Nineveh” at the self-proclaimed Islamic State militant group, killing two of his guards at central Mosul, according to a local source in Nineveh.

Abu Mohamed al-Hayyali, a senior leader at the Islamic State, had his home raided and two of his bodyguards killed, after which the group imposed tight security at the incident’s scene and deployed extra members to search for the attackers, disclosed the source.

“This is the first attack of its kined to target the Governor of Mosul,” the source explained.

ISIS fighters are sustaining severe losses in personnel and supply as Iraqi government forces, assisted by US-led air forces and Shia militias, continue a three-week-old campaign to liberate the city of Mosul, the last ISIS strong-hold in Iraq. Losses were so painful that the group apparently ceased to refer to Mosul as the capital of its bloodily-sought “Caliphate”. Other reports said the group transferred its wounded fighters out of the city and was suffering a biting shortage in food supplies.