Mosul Campaign Day 73, Dec 28, 2016

The Mosul campaign is back in action, which meant there was more heavy fighting. The Iraqi forces (ISF) attacked the Rafaq and Baladiyat neighborhoods in the northeast section of the city. The Islamic State on the other hand was counter attacking throughout Mosul and in four towns to the west and north. Inside the city it attacked the Hadbaa, Sumer, Zaytoun, Salam, and Police Academy with 6 car bombs and 5 suicide bombers. Noor was hit with mortars, and it blew up two of its police headquarters and the Salam Hospital in Wahda in the southeast. Three civilians were also killed by IS snipers. The new plan calls for the ISF to push in from the northeast, east, and southeast by the Golden, 9^th and 16^th Divisions along with some other army brigades, and the Federal Police and Ninewa police providing artillery and holding areas cleared.

There was more news on the displacement going on. The United Nations had 114,042 people registered with the government and aid groups. Roughly one thousand people are leaving their homes a day. The U.N. figures did not include people being displaced within Mosul because they do not sign up for assistance. On December 28 for example, IS was reported to be forcing residents out of four neighborhoods in northern Mosul. These citizens are staying within the city sheltering with others. That could easily add a few hundred more to the total.

Finally, from October 17 to December 28 4,279 have been killed and 8,028 wounded during the battle for Mosul in Ninewa. The Islamic State executed 2,727 people with the other 1,552 dying in the fighting. Civilians have faced the brunt of the casualties with 3,878 killed and 6,903 wounded. 250 members of the Iraqi forces, 82 Hashd, 65 Peshmerga, 2 Kurdish Counter Terrorism, 1 Hashd al-Watani, and 1 U.S. sailor have been killed, and 811 ISF, 253 Peshmerga, 59 Hashd, and 2 Hashd al-Watani have been wounded.

Mosul Campaign Casualties 10/17-12/28/16

4,279 Killed

1 U.S. Sailor, 1 Hashd al-Watani, 2 Kurd CT, 16 Police, 28 ISF, 65 Peshmerga, 82 Hashd, 206 Soldiers

3,878 Civilians

8,028 Wounded

2 Hashd al-Watani, 4 Police, 59, Hashd, 253 Peshmerga, 353 ISF, 454 Soldiers

6,903 Civilians

2,727 Executed by the Islamic State

247 Killed, 156 Wounded by Coalition Air Strikes

SOURCES

Adel, Loaa, "Nineveh Operations repulses attack by 100 IS militants near Mosul," Iraqi News, 12/28/16

AIN, "Federal artillery destroyed three vehicles including a bob on the left coast of Mosul," 12/28/16

Hendawi, Hamza, “Iraqi Forces in Mosul Reinforced, New Push Against IS Soon,” Associated Press, 12/28/16

Mostafa, Mohamed, "Updated: army soldier killed in Islamic State attacks in Mosul," Iraqi News, 12/28/16

NINA, "/3/ youths killed by Daesh snipers when they tried to escape east of Mosul," 12/28/16

- "/7/ civilians killed in bombing by Daesh, and the Iraqi forces stormed two residential buildings in the northern axis of Mosul," 12/28/16

- "Daesh Blows Up 2 HQs And Emergency Center Of Salam Hospital Southeast of Mosul," 12/28/16

- "Iraqi Forces Repel An Attack To Daesh With Participation Of Dozens Of Suicide Bombers And Car Bombs North of Mosul," 12/28/16

- "The killing of 10 Daesh members and two vehicles west of Mosul," 12/28/16

- "Security Forces Destroy 3 Vehicles To Daesh In Mosul," 12/28/16

- "Seven terrorists killed and two vehicles belonging to them destroyed during repelling an attack to Daesh on a village west of Mosul," 12/28/16

Rudaw, "Iraqi forces repel two ISIS counterattacks in and around Mosul," 12/28/16

Shafaaq News, “Daesh forcing hundreds of civilians to evacuate their homes and displacement outdoors in four neighborhoods in Mosul,” 12/28/16

UN News Service, “Iraq: Nearly 115,000 people displaced, 50,000 children affected by Mosul military operation – UN,” 12/28/16