The next phase of the Mosul operation opened on October 28
when the Hashd opened the western front pushing towards Tal Afar. The United
Nations also documented thousands of people being kidnapped by the Islamic
State to be used as human shields. The insurgents also continued their
wholesale slaughter of civilians. Finally, Turkey issued more statements
attempting to assert themselves into the campaign.
The Hashd finally entered the battle on a large scale on
October 28. They took two
towns west of Mosul
heading towards Tal Afar. Up to this point the Islamic State’s corridor to
Syria has remained opened. Now the Hashd and Federal Police are going to try to
cut that off.
The Federal Police in the south freed
two villages as well. Otherwise there was no other news by the Iraqi and
Kurdish forces. A pause has been coming as the forces solidify their frontlines
before making their next push onto Mosul itself.
As the Islamic State has been losing territory it has taken
thousands of people with them to be used as hostages. The United Nations recorded
around 5,370 families, approximately 60,000 people who had been forced to
retreat with the militants. 160 came form the Qayara district, 150 from Hamam
al-Alil area, and 2,210 from the Nimrud district. These people have been taken
to Hamam Al-Alil and Mosul to be used as human shields. Those that have not
gone with IS have been killed.
There were more reports of mass executions by IS. The U.N.
had 232 former members of the security forces killed in the first week of the
operation. On October 27 18
were killed in Shura and 22
in Mosul, with another 41
outside Mosul on October 28.
IS announced that it had sent in an extra unit to Mosul to
bolster the defenses. IS media said
that the Al-Sham battalion came form Raqqa to the city. A resident recounted
that new fighters had come from Syria as well.
Finally, Turkey continued
to claim that it was taking part in the campaign. Ankara’s Foreign Minister
Mouloud Jawish Oglu in a press conference stated that 3,000 Iraqis that it had
trained were taking part in the Mosul operation. That was probably a reference
to ex-Governor Atheel Nujafi’s Hashd al-Watani that has not fact been involved
so far. He went on to claim that Turkish planes were carrying out missions, and
that his country was one of the most involved in the fight against IS. These
statements and others have constantly inflamed Iraqis and the government who
have demanded that Turkey remove its troops from Ninewa and stop trying to
interfere. President Recep Erdogan however continues to ignore Baghdad.
SOURCES
Al
Aalem, "War Media; The deaths of nearly 300 Daash and the liberation of
many villages over the last 24 hour period," 10/28/16
Buratha
News, "Popular crowd frees Huwaider village southwest of Mosul,"
10/28/16
-
"Popular crowd frees Omhervh area south of Mosul," 10/28/16
Cumming-Bruce,
Nick, "ISIS Kills More Than 200 as Battle for Mosul Intensifies," New
York Times, 10/28/16
Iraqi News, “Baghdadi announces arrival of al-Sham Battalion
to raise his fighters’ morale,” 10/27/16
-
"ISIS executes 22 persons by electrocution in central Mosul," 10/27/16
NINA,
"Daesh executed 18 young residents of the Shura district during the
process of storming south of Mosul," 10/27/16
- “Turkish Foreign Ministry: Three thousand Iraqi fighters
trained by us fighting against Daesh,” 10/27/16
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights,” Battle
for Mosul: ISIL forces thousands of civilians from their homes and executes
hundreds,” 10/28/16
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