Police seize IS command center in western Mosul’s Old City
The commander of the Federal Police Command, Raed Shakir Jawdat. Archival photo.
The service’s chief, Shaker Jawdat, said the forces found documents, explosive devices, weapons and communication sets inside the facility.
Iraqi government forces recaptured eastern Mosul in January and launched an offensive in February to recapture the western region. Iraqi troops are currently working to retake central Mosul districts from IS militants, specifically eyeing the city’s grand mosque where the group’s self-styled “Caliphate” was declared in 2014.
Iraqi generals have viewed the Old City as vital for realizing victory against IS in the western side, but also admitted it was very difficult to advance through with military vehicles. Bad weather over the past few days has further hardened the troops’ mission, prompting the commanders to rely on drones and artillery strikes to bring down militants shielding themselves in the middle of civilians.
Generals from the Iraqi military command and the allied U.S.-led coalition have reiterated that IS powers were waning, with many senior leaders either killed or escaped