PMUs liberate one village, besiege another in western Mosul
Pro-Iraqi government paramilitary forces, al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units)
In a statement, Al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) said that troops “fully liberated Tal Qasab village, east of Qairawan, from the Islamic State militants.”
“Huge losses in lives and weapons were inflicted on the enemy,” the statement said adding that Bashuk village in western Mosul has been besieged.
A stash of weapons and explosives factory were found in east of Qairawan, the troops said in other statements.
Earlier on Sunday, the PMUs declared reaching to the last IS supply routes of Qahtaniyah -Qairawan in the west after cutting all the roads in Qairawan.
The troops also declared that the militants withdrew from the front defense lines to inside Qairawan.
Many villages in Qairawan region, a main Islamic State bastion which links between Tal Afar town and the Syrian borders, were freed over the past two days as the troops launched an offensive on Friday to free the region.
The eastern side of Mosul was recaptured in January following three months of battles. Another offensive was launched in February to recapture the western flank of the city.
Iraqi commanders predict recapturing the remaining parts of the city this month.