UPDATED: police recapture some areas near Mosul’s Old City
Federal police carry their weapons during a battle against Islamic State militants, at the entrance to the city of Dawasa in Mosul, Iraq, March 5, 2017. REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani – RTS11ISC
The Federal Police said forces took over Pasha Mosque, Bab al-Sarai market and al-Adalah street, all inside the Old City and near Grand Nuri Mosque, where IS supreme leader Abu Bakr al-baghdadi declared the establishment of the group’s rule in Iraq in 2014.
Lt. Gen. Shaker Jawdat said in a statement that forces continued to advance against the strategic district from several directions. “Federal Police and Rapid Response forces, stationed near the Old Bridge along the (Tigris) river and on the outskirts of Bab al-Bid, resumed their military operations today,” said Jawdat.
He said the advances were backed by drones, rocket launchers and aerial bombardment on the extremist group’s locations in Ras al-Khour, Bab al-Bid and al-Hadbaa regions in the Old City.
Iraqi generals view the recapture of the densely-populated and -structured Old City as essential for victory over IS in western Mosul, where operations launched in February to achieve an eventual collapse of the group’s self-styled “Islamic Caliphate”.
Government forces recaptured eastern Mosul in January after three months of fighting.
Progress has slowed down over the past two days in central Mosul due to bad weather and the area’s narrow alleyways which made it difficult for military vehicles to go through.