Fighting raged as Iraq's special forces began their assault on Mosul's eastern outskirts on Tuesday, part of operations to drive the Islamic State group from the country's second largest city
A shiite fighter prepare missiles to hit Islamic State group's jihadist positions as they head to the south of Mosul, on Monday. Pic/AFP
A shiite fighter prepare missiles to hit Islamic State group's jihadist positions as they head to the south of Mosul, on Monday. Pic/AFP
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Bazwaya: Fighting raged as Iraq's special forces began their assault on Mosul's eastern outskirts on Tuesday, part of operations to drive the Islamic State group from the country's second largest city.
Troops opened up with artillery, tank and machine gun fire on IS positions on the edge of the Gogjali neighborhood, with the extremists responding with guided anti-tank missiles and small arms to block the advance. Airstrikes by the US-led coalition supporting the operation added to the fire hitting the district.
If Iraqi forces enter Gogjali neighborhood it will mark the first time troops have set foot in Mosul, after they were driven out by a smaller group of IS extremists in 2014. Mosul is the final IS bastion in Iraq, the city from which it declared a "caliphate".
From the nearby village of Bazwaya, smoke could be seen rising from buildings on the city's edge, where shells and bombs were landing. The IS fighters quickly lit special fires to produce dark smoke in order to obscure the aerial view of the city.
The families will be evacuated from the village to a displaced persons camp, according to Brig Gen Haider Fadhil of the Iraqi special forces. For over two weeks, Iraqi forces and their Kurdish allies, Sunni tribesmen and Shiite militias have been converging on Mosul from all directions to drive away IS.
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