There was news from within and without Mosul. Shafaaq
News reported on the food and fuel shortages in west Mosul. Officials are
worried of a humanitarian crisis.
The Iraqi forces (ISF) were shelling
west Mosul and the Islamic State fired mortars onto two neighborhoods in the
east. There were no casualties reported, but countless people have been killed
and wounded as a result of the constant artillery, mortar and rocket fire.
In the east the Golden Division was dismantling
IEDs and arresting Islamic State members. There is a large fear of sleeper
cells causing violence in liberated areas, as well as IS fighters disappearing
into the population to escape punishment.
Finally, Federal Police reinforcements took up positions
south of Mosul in preparation for the up coming operation. This is more evidence
that the ISF will launch a two pronged attack on west Mosul coming from the
south and east to stretch out the defenders. The original assault on the city
consisted of five fronts, and completely fell apart due to poor coordination.
Hopefully this will go much better.
To the west in the Tal Afar district the Hashd are still
clearing the large rural areas found there. An Iranian Revolutionary Guards’
adviser was killed
in the process. Before the Mosul operation began Badr leader Hadi Ameri said no
foreign forces would take part. He meant the U.S. led Coalition, which he has
consistently criticized for its involvement in the war. He obviously did not
mean his Iranian enablers.
The Education Ministry is trying to re-open
190 schools in east Mosul to help with the rebuilding process. It is working
with the Education Directorate in Ninewa to provide books, paper and other
supplies. Many families did not send their children to IS led schools for the
last two years and have thus missed out on a huge part of their education. Some
schools have already re-launched, which is an important part of returning life
to the city.
The Nujafi’s who hail from Mosul are attempting to rebuild
their base there. Ex-Governor Atheel Nujafi helped the 16th Division
to retake several towns and neighborhoods in east Mosul, and was given the job
of holding one afterward. That raised the ire of other politicians who had an
arrest warrant issued for him and had his Ninewa Guards forced out of the city
along with himself. Buratha
News claimed that his brother Vice President Osama Nujafi has made a deal
with former Defense Minister Khalid Obeidi to take over the Guard and is
demanding that it return to the city, although this has not been made official.
The Vice President also met
with members of his Mutahidun list in Ninewa to discuss the future of Mosul.
They called for it to be rebuilt, and wanted to make sure that IS does not
return. The Nujafis are hoping that the liberation of the city will help
restore their political fortunes. So far their participation has been a mixed
bag, but there is still so much to be done that they will have plenty of
chances to benefit.
SOURCES
Al Aalem, “Urgent: the killing of an Iranian Revolutionary
Guard adviser Khairallah in the fighting in Tal Afar,” 2/5/17
Bas News, “Four IS Women Arrested in East Mosul,” 2/5/17
Buratha News, “Obeidi to lead the Ninewa Guard instead of
Atheel Nujafi,” 2/5/17
Al Forat, “Federal police are stationed in the south in
preparation to enter the right bank of Mosul,” 2/5/17
Al Mada, “Osama Najafi meets Mutahidun coalition in Mosul in
the presence of his brother,” 2/6/17
Al Masalah, “Efforts to open schools in left bank of Mosul,”
2/5/17
Shafaaq News, “East Mosul residents eat expired food itself
to fill their hunger,” 2/5/17
- “Shelling East Mosul and Daesh respond,” 2/5/17
Xinhua, “Iraq sends reinforcements ahead of new push against
IS in Mosul,” 2/5/17
2 comments:
Can you try to find more info on assyrian autonomy and future?
There is some talk of forming a Christian autonomous region in the Ninewa plains. This is supported by the Nujafi's and the Kurds, but don't think it has any support within Baghdad and the Ninewa council has not talked about it either. The Nujafis and Kurds are pushing the issue because it would weaken Baghdad's control over the province and the Kurds have tried to co-opt minority groups in Ninewa to push their own annexation policy in the disputed territories. The different Christian groups don't have enough pull to make their own region on their own.
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