Mosul Campaign Day 75, Dec 30, 2016

In the two days since the Mosul campaign officially restarted there has not been much movement. On the first day the Quds neighborhood in east Mosul was freed for the fourth time. On the second day a pharmaceutical plant in Bawiza outside of the Mosul to the north was liberated, and the Iraqi Forces (ISF) were trying to secure the Mosul-Tal Skurf road. The new plan is to attempt a double pincer move with army and police pushing from the north and south meeting with the Special Forces Golden Division in the center. So far the ISF have only been trying to secure areas that they have already freed or entered before.

On December 30 there was fighting Hadbaa in the north, Palestine, Intisar, Salam, Nassir, and Shaimaa in the southeast, and Quds and Karama in the center, while other units were trying to secure the areas they had already freed. The Islamic State counter attacked in Sukar, Falah, and Hadbaa in the north, Tamim in the center, and Nassir and Wahda in the southeast. In the process four suicide bombers were killed, and twenty-six car bombs were destroyed. Again, all of these areas have been fought over in the last two months.

The Iraqi press reported that the Islamic State was pulling its families out of the city and sending them west. Similar stories have been published since the start of the battle for Mosul in October to show that the insurgents were collapsing. The fight they’ve put up so far has shown that hasn’t happened yet.

The Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times both had a pieces on the difficult job the security forces have screening people for Islamic State members and sympathizers. AP talked with a man from IS occupied west Mosul who was caught in east Mosul. The ISF thought he was an IS member and beat him to try to get him to confess. Other people complained that the government forces were not letting them return to liberated areas. The Los Angeles Times on the other hand observed the courts that have been set up to process people. Everyone claimed that they were innocent, but if a person testified against someone they were automatically sent to a criminal court. The judges hear dozens and dozens of cases each day. This is a very difficult process that can take a long time. There are some abuses going on, and some IS members are being missed, but it is necessary.

Finally, a Kurdish official complained again about being overwhelmed with casualties. Many of the ISF and civilian casualties from the Mosul campaign have been sent to hospitals in Irbil. Those facilities are running out of space and medicine for all of the people they are seeing. The Kurdish Health Minister Rekawt Hama Rashid said that over 13,500 have been treated so far, and they can’t take anymore. With only about 25% of Mosul occupied Irbil will have to make do or more hospitals will have to be opened because there is a lot more fighting laying ahead.

SOURCES

Adel, Loaa, "Army forces repel Islamic State's attack near Mosul," Iraqi News, 12/30/16

- “Iraqi forces face Islamic State car bombs, fierce resistance in south Mosul,” Iraqi News, 12/30/16

- “Islamic State abruptly evacuates its members from 4 areas near Mosul,” Iraqi News, 12/30/16

AIN, “Federal Police: 66 terrorists killed in Nassir neighborhood in left coast Mosul,” 12/30/16

- “Federal police chief: Daesh crumbles on the left coast neighborhoods and killed 25 of its leaders,” 12/30/16

- “Four Daesh leaders killed in the left coast Mosul,” 12/30/16

Al Alam, “Fresh VIDEO: Iraqi Army Forces Launch Massive Attacks against ISIS in Mosul,” 12/30/16

- “Fresh VIDEO: Iraqi Civilians Flee as Fighting against ISIS Resumes near Mosul,” 12/30/16

- “Join Forces Liberate 2 Villages, Kill 70 ISIS Members in Northern Mosul,” 12/30/16

Bas News, “Over 13,000 injured from Mosul Operation Received Treatment in KRG,” 12/30/16

Coles, Isabel and Kalin, Stephen, "Iraqi offensive launch second phase of Mosul offensive against Islamic State," Reuters, 12/29/16

Dunlop, W.G., “Iraq forces fight muddy street battle against IS in Mosul,” Agence France Presse, 12/30/16

Hendawi, Hamza, “Some in Mosul wary of return of Iraq’s government,” Associated Press, 12/30/16

Hennessy-Fiske, Molly, “These judges decide the fate of Islamic State fighters and collaborators,” Los Angeles Times, 12/29/16

Hicks, Tyler, “Along Mosul’s Front Line, Desperate Civilians and Dug-In troops and Fighters,” New York Times, 12/29/16

Kalin, Stephen, “Iraqi forces face fierce Islamic State combat in south Mosul,” Reuters, 12/30/16

Al Mada, "Anti-Terrorism forces destroy four car bombs left coast of Mosul," 12/30/16

- "Federal Police kill senior Daesh leader and blow up car bomb east Mosul," 12/30/16

- "Killing six Daesh members and destruction of car bomb southeast Mosul," 12/30/16

Al Maalomah, “War Media: The destruction of dozens of car bombs in Ninewa We Are Coming operation,” 12/30/16

Al Masalah, "Four suicide bombers killed trying to infiltrate village north Mosul," 12/30/16

- "Freed pharmaceutical plant north of Mosul," 12/30/16

- “Nineveh operations: left side of Mosul will be fully liberated,” 12/30/16

NINA, “/70/ terrorists killed, including the Military Commander of the north of the left coast of Mosul,” 12/29/16

- “Federal Police Forces Enter The Stadium Between Sumer and Palestine,” 12/29/16

- “More than /100/ elements of Daesh killed on the left coast of Mosul,” 12/29/16

- “Urgent../24/ terrorists killed within the south-eastern axis of Mosul,” 12/29/16

- “Urgent..The Anti-terrorism frees the first Al-Quds neighborhood in Mosul,” 12/29/16

Otten, Cathy, “Mosul residents face battle for survival,” UNHCR, 12/28/16

Rudaw, "Coalition strikes kill dozens of ISIS militants on second day of renewed Mosul operation," 12/30/16

Shafaaq News, “Army repels attack north Mosul, killing one Daesh member,” 12/30/16

- “Army repels Daesh attack on neighborhood of east Mosul,” 12/30/16

- “Battle of Mosul: tangible progress and the killing of tens of Daesh,” 12/30/16

- “Clear outline of Battle of Mosul.. The new target,” 12/30/16

- “Iraqi forces face fierce resistance from Daesh in south Mosul,” 12/30/16

- “Limited progress on second day of second phase of the Battle of Mosul,” 12/30/16

- “A security commander announced killing 25 foreign fighters and Daesh leader in the left coast of Mosul,” 12/30/16