People fleeing the fighting in central West Mosul (Reuters)
The Islamic State launched a surprise attack upon a
Federal Police base south of Mosul. A group of ten insurgents, four of which
were suicide bombers, assaulted
the police in the town of Arij in the Hamam al-Alil district. They were dressed
in police uniforms, which allowed them to infiltrate the base. The fighting
lasted for over an hour before most of the militants were killed and the rest
escaped. Three police died as a result. While IS is surrounded in west Mosul it
has not stopped it from launching offensive operations. Just this week it set
off a car bomb in liberated east Mosul. Fortunately these attacks do not happen
that often.
The Golden Division was still advancing in the middle of
west Mosul. It attacked the Islah
al-Zirahi neighborhood. The Islamic State also counterattacked in the
recently liberated Siha area, but was turned back.
There was a friendly fire incident outside of Mosul.
Federal Police were hit by Iraqi artillery in the town of Bab al-Baid to the
west of the city.
Finally, the Displacement Ministry announced
that more than 122,000 people had left camps in Ninewa. Over 2,000 had gone in
the last two days. Almost all of them went to east Mosul. Many people do not
like staying in the camps because of strict restrictions on their movement.
Others are looking for work or want to secure their property. Many people from
west Mosul want to be near their homes so they can return to them as soon as
possible when the fighting subsides. Throughout the campaign there has been a
constant flow of people in and out of the city. Right now more people are going
back than leaving.
SOURCES
Aboulenein, Ahmed, “Hundreds flee Mosul fighting as others
return to former IS areas,” Reuters, 4/23/17
Associated Press, “Islamic State attacks Iraq police base, 1
killed,” 4/23/17
Baghdad Post, “Intensive clashes between Federal Police,
ISIS at Hamam Alil in Mosul,” 4/23/17
Al Gharbiya News, “Federal police killed and wounded by
friendly fire,” 4/23/17
Iraq Oil Report, “Inside Mosul: April 23, 2017,” 4/24/17
Al Jazeera, “ISIL attacks police station near Mosul,”
4/23/17
Al Masalah, “Migration Ministry: More than 122,000 displaced
persons return to their liberated areas in Nineveh,” 4/22/17
Mostafa, Nehal, “Four IS suicide bombers killed in Hamam
al-Alil, western Mosul: Federal Police,” Iraqi News, 4/23/17
- “PMUs kill Islamic State leader in Tal Afar, western
Mosul,” Iraqi News, 4/23/17
- “ISIS leader, Abu Omar al-Aafari, killed west of Mosul,”
Iraqi News, 4/23/17
Rudaw, “Iraqi forces repel ISIS attack on command center
south of Mosul,” 4/23/17
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