Mosul Campaign Day 41, Nov 26, 2016

More information became available about events that occurred on November 25. The Golden Division attacked the Amin neighborhood, while both Qahira and Masarif were freed.

On November 26, there was fighting in the Bakr, Zuhur, Intisar, Judaydat al-Mufti, Salam, Younis Sabawi, and Palestine areas of the city. That was a perfect example of the back and forth battle for the city. Judaydat al-Mufti was originally attacked on November 1, Younis Sabawi on November 11, and Palestine on November 13. Salam and Zuhur have been liberated once each, and Bakr and Intisar have been freed twice. So far the Golden Division and 9^th Division have entered 38 neighborhoods of eastern Mosul. 22 of those appear to still be contested, while 16 have been secured. As the events above show however, many of those areas declared freed often get re-infiltrated by the Islamic State.

Progress in Eastern Mosul Neighborhoods

Total Entered: 38

Freed: 16

Still Fighting: 22

On other fronts, the Hashd and Iraqi forces continued to move forward as well. The Hashd went through six towns in the west, and elements of the 9^th Division freed one more in the southeast. Elements of the 15^th Division and the Ninewa Federal police will have the task of taking on Tal Afar itself. On the other hand, based upon their own statements the Iraqi forces are two weeks behind reaching Mosul itself from the north and south. The Golden Division was the first to reach the city. Instead of waiting for the other units to catch up it moved forward opening itself to attacks from the flanks and rear. Eventually, units from the 9^th Division and a separate brigade were shifted to eastern Mosul as well as they were stuck in towns in the south. Two weeks ago the rest of the 9^th Division said it would be attacking Mosul airport, and the 15^th Division Hadbaa neighborhood in the north. While the Golden Division was always going to take on the bulk of the fighting the push into the north and south was supposed to spread out the Islamic State’s forces. Instead it has been able to focus upon the east. There have been no new timetables released for when the 9^th and 15^th are supposed to reach their original targets in Mosul.

Finally, the United Nations’ World Health Organization gave another glimpse into the casualties being generated by the on going campaign. It said that 1,200 civilians had been treated for injuries since the start of the Mosul operation on October 17. Since the government is censoring its losses these types of stories can only hint at what is really going on. They show that a huge amount of people have been killed and wounded, with only about a third of Mosul having been entered.

SOURCES

Associated Press, "IS mortars kill 16 Iraqi civilians in Mosul," 11/26/16

BBC, "Mosul battle: Iraqi PM rallies forces and issues warning to IS," 11/5/16

- "Mosul battle: Iraqi special forces enter city limits," 11/1/16

Face Iraq, "Daesh executed 15 civilians and blew up houses in Mosul," 11/26/16

Al Forat, "Popular crowd: destroyed two car bombs on the outskirts of western Tal Afar, west Ajabour," 11/26/16

Iraq Oil Report, "Inside Mosul: Nov. 1, 2016," 11/1/16

- "Inside Mosul: Nov. 13, 2016," 11/13/16

- "Inside Mosul, Nov. 21, 2016," 11/21/16

- "Inside Mosul, Nov. 25, 2016," 11/25/16

Al Maalomah, "Information published in daily briefing on We are coming Nineveh military operation," 11/26/16

Al Mada, "Breaking into eight districts and increases pressure on Daesh on the left coast," 11/11/16

- "Counter terrorism forces enter three neighborhoods on two axis in left coast of Mosul," 11/25/16

- "Unexpected operation to free the rest of Sinjar in the light of the agreement between the popular crowd and the Peshmerga," 11/27/16

Mostafa, Mohamed, "Zohour, Shoqaq Khadraa neighborhoods of Mosul recaptured: source," Iraqi News, 11/24/16

NINA, "Abu Nakhla village liberated south of Tal Afar," 11/25/16

- "Al-Tufaha village liberated west of Mosul," 1/25/16

- "Two new villages liberated west of Mosul," 11/25/16

- "Urgent..The popular crowd started the fifth phase for the liberation of western Mosul operations," 11/25/16

Rudaw, "ISIS leader among militants killed in Mosul district," 11/20/16

- "Two more mass graves found in Shingal, bringing total to 29," 11/26/16

Shafaq News, "Popular crowd repels broad Daesh attack west of Tal Afar,' 11/27/16

Sotaliraq, "Injured a war photographer following battles west of Mosul," 11/27/16

United Nations Radio, “Mosul casualties mount as offensive continues,” 11/25/16

Xinhua, "Iraqi forces clear areas freed from IS in eastern Mosul," 11/9/16

- "Iraqi forces continue fighting IS militants in Mosul," 11/26/16