The Islamic State’s defenses finally appeared to be breaking
in east Mosul. The Federal and Rapid Reaction police freed
Dumiz and Palestine in the southeast, while the Golden Division also took
Baladiyat in the northeast. The latter was seizing
the ground around the Mosul University next door for an eventual assault. Sukar
to the north of that neighborhood has been declared liberated three times, but was
still being fought over. Furqan
and Atibaa, which were freed on January 7, are now being cleared. A member of
the Ninewa Council claimed
that 85% of the eastern half of the city was now under government control. That
may be too high, but the majority of the Left Coast is definitely now occupied.
General Najm al-Jabouri
from the Ninewa Operations Command and the Golden Division spokesman Sabah Numan
both speculated that east Mosul could be freed in days. Whether its days or
weeks it definitely looks like half of the city will be taken this month.
The Islamic State is still putting up a fight for every
neighborhood. The militants were shooting
at displaced families attempting to flee the fighting in Sumer and Wahda. Four
car bombs in Palestine,
3 in Dumiz and
Palestine, and one each in Baladiyat and Furqan were destroyed. Mortar
and rocket fire on Muthanna, Rafaq, Wahda and some unknown locations killed six
civilians and wounded 16 others. Finally, the insurgents attacked
the Hashd in Adaya in the Tal Afar district.
For the last two days Iraq Oil Report had stories about Iraqi
and foreign members of the Islamic State fighting each other. On January
8, Iraqis wanted to retreat to west Mosul from Sumer and Yarmja, but the
foreigners refused to let them and opened fire to stop them. On January
9 they were reportedly arguing over evicting locals to turn their homes
into firing positions. Since the day the Mosul operation began in October 2016
there have been stories of IS fighters and their families fleeing the city.
None of that seemed to affect the sturdy defense the group was able to mount.
IS turning on itself however if confirmed, could an important split.
SOURCES
Adel,
Loaa, "Federal Police forces kill 40 IS militants, destroy 4 car bombs
near Mosul," Iraqi News, 1/9/17
AIN, “Freed three neighborhoods in the left coast of Mosul
and killed 267 Daash today,” 1/9/17
- “Popular crowd kill ten Daash in foiled attack west of
Mosul,” 1/9/17
- “Urgent..freed the entire district of Baladiyat in the
left coast of Mosul,” 1/9/17
Buratha News, “Freed three neighborhoods in the left coast
of Mosul and killed 267 Daash today,” 1/9/17
- “Recent development in the field during the liberation of
Mosul until 19:15 Monday 09 01 2017,” 1/9/17
Face Iraq, “Sami Aradi: Anti-Terrorism Forces surrounded
University of Mosul preparing to storm it,” 1/9/17
Hennessy-Fiske, Molly, “Iraqi troops reach Tigris River, but
more challenges ahead in battle for Mosul,” Los Angeles Times, 1/9/17
Iraq oil Report, “Inside Mosul: Jan. 8, 2017,” 1/8/17
- “Inside Mosul: Jan. 9, 2017,” 1/9/17
Kalin, Stephen and Coles, Isabel, “Iraq special forces
advance in east Mosul, close to linking with army,” Reuters, 1/9/17
Knights, Michael, “Mosul battle: Iraq gaining momentum
against IS,” BBC, 1/9/17
Al Maalomah, “Nineveh Council announced the liberation of
85% of the left coast of Mosul and nearing the launch of attacking the right
coast,” 1/9/17
Al Masalah, “Counter-terrorism forces progressing to control
the left coast of Mosul,” 1/9/17
- “Freed entire neighborhood of Palestine west Mosul,”
1/9/17
Mostafa,
Mohamed, "Infant killed, mother wounded by Islamic State fire in
Mosul," Iraqi News, 1/9/17
- "Iraqi forces recapture 3 eastern Mosul districts,"
Iraqi News, 1/9/17
-
"Militias say killed 10 Islamic State militants west of Mosul," Iraqi
News, 1/9/17
New Sabah, “Anti-Terrorism forces free Baladiyat in east
Mosul and raise the Iraqi flag over its buildings,” 1/9/17
Rudaw,
"ISIS mortar shell rips through Mosul family as they flee for safety,"
1/9/17
Shafaaq News, “Statement: 267 militants killed during
fighting Daesh on Monday,” 1/9/17
- “Statement: Access to the bank of the Tigris and killed
tens of Daash in the day’s battles,” 1/9/17
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