The Iraqi forces (ISF) are still stuck in the Old City
district of west Mosul. The Rapid Reaction Division and Federal Police attacked
the Maidan
neighborhood. The police were said to have taken some streets in the Old
City. The Joint Operations Command also claimed that a new push was being
planned into the district. The ISF are always talking about a new offensive to
take the Old City however. That area was attacked in March, and little headway
has been made since then.
More civilian casualties were reported. The Islamic State
fired mortars
into west Mosul killing four and wounding 2. The insurgents executed another 20
who were attempting to flee and hung their bodies on poles to intimidate
others. There was another claim of a
chemical attack as well. Nearly every week there are similar stories, but they
are never confirmed.
Despite earlier denials, Ninewa officials have finally
admitted there is no plan to rebuild Mosul and Ninewa in general. When east
Mosul was liberated in January some residents
began
complaining
that they were getting little help from the authorities to rebuild. Ninewa
officials assured
them not only they, but Baghdad had a plan for reconstruction. Reuters
talked with the deputy chairman of the Ninewa council who revealed the
provincial government is still working on a five year agenda for rebuilding.
More importantly he told Reuters there is no money for whatever they come up
with. He complained that Baghdad had not given Ninewa adequate funds for its
overall budget, and didn’t expect more to be coming.
USA
Today talked with members of the Mosul Battalions, which was part of the
resistance movement inside the city. There were various groups carrying out
assassinations, shootings, bombings, and grafting for months before the Battle
for Mosul began. They probably killed and wounded hundreds of IS members in the
process. They also provided intelligence to the Iraqi forces. Despite that,
they were never able to present a serious challenge to the militants control of
the city. At the same time, it dispelled the myth prevalent within Iraq that
the population of Mosul were all supportive of the Islamic State.
Reuters
went to the Khazir displaced camp where people were struggling to support
themselves. It interviewed several residents. One man was a barber, another
fixed shoes. These odd jobs were about all they could find. The lack of
employment is one of the major reasons why people do not want to stay in these
camps. Unfortunately, when they leave and go back to their homes, there is
little in the way of jobs either.
SOURCES
Aboulenein, Ahmed,
“Five years, billions of dollars needed to rebuild Mosul: officials,” Reuters,
5/3/17
Fisch, Yesica,
“Iraqis in ‘liberated’ Mosul want services restored,” Associated Press, 4/13/17
Georgy, Michael,
“Freed from jihadists, Mosul residents focus fury on Iraqi politicians,”
Reuters, 2/3/17
Hamed, Muhammad,
“Iraqi camp families search for ways to make a living,” Reuters, 5/3/17
Iraq Oil Report, "Inside Mosul: May 3,
2017," 5/3/17
Kossov, Igor, “Meet
the men who fought ISIS from inside Mosul,” USA Today, 5/2/17
MacDiarmid,
Campbell, Kenner, David, “Goodbye, Islamic State, Hello, Anarchy,” Foreign
Policy, 3/24/17
New Sabah, “Military
preparations to launch new operation to resolve the battle of Mosul,” 5/3/17
Rasheed, Ahmed,
“Factbox: Mosul’s leaning minaret at risk as battle rages,” Reuters, 5/3/17
Reuters, “Iraqi
forces battle to recapture Mosul mosque,” 5/3/17
Rojkan, Mira, "IS Once Again Attacks Civilians in Mosul
with Chemical Weapons," Bas News, 5/3/17
Rubin, Trudy,
“Worldview: Rubin: Surviving in ISIS-occupied Mosul,” Philadelphia Inquirer,
3/15/17
Shafaaq News, “Military preparations to attack the defenses
in the Old City of Mosul,” 5/3/17
UN High Commissioner
for Refugees, “Iraq Situation: UNHCR Flash Update – 2 May 2017,” 5/2/17
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