Mosul Campaign Day 80, Jan 4, 2017

The two pronged thrust from the east and southeast in Mosul continued. The 9^th Division and Federal police freed Wahda in the southeast. There was one report however that they had not taken the Salam Hospital, which is inside the neighborhood, and another at the end of the day that there was still fighting going on there. The Federal Police also claimed to have cleared Aden and Moalimin, but again there was another statement by the Iraqi forces (ISF) that they were still trying to take the latter. The former had been liberated once before, and Aden, four times. The Golden Division took Siha and Yarmja as well in the east. The Division said it freed Siha at the start of December. The unit was also consolidating its hold over areas it had already seized, namely the industrial districts outside of Karama. Other areas under attack were Judaydat al-Mufti, Muthanna, Salam, Palestine, Shaimaa, Dumiz, and Sumer, which the ISF said they had liberated yesterday. The Iraqi forces have a bad habit of declaring areas freed before they actually are. The Islamic State also has extensive tunnels underneath the city, which it has used to re-infiltrate into neighborhoods.

There were several reported IS counterattacks and casualties. Mithaq was taken yesterday, but today a policeman was killed by gunfire there, and two suicide bombers set off their devices killing 3 and wounding two soldiers. In Wahda a suicide bulldozer bomb detonated leaving 14 dead and 32 injured, a suicide car bomb exploded taking the lives of five and wounding an additional fourteen, and more than three others were destroyed. Sniper fire in Zirahi killed ten, IS beheaded two teenagers in central Mosul accusing them of spying, and a family of five was executed as well. In Moalimin, Sumer, Bakr, and the southeast section of the city several more car bombs were destroyed. The northern front blew up two more vehicle bombs, and one other was knocked out in the Tal Afar district to the west of Mosul.

The commander of the U.S. led Coalition General Steven Townsend told Reuters that the Iraqi forces were coordinating their effort to take Mosul much better now. He said in the first phase of the Battle for Mosul there was little synchronization between units. Now there are meetings every few days between the Iraqi commanders facilitated by the coalition.

Before the second phase of the campaign started there were several reports that U.S. advisers would have a greater role. That was now confirmed. Coalition spokesman Colonel John Dorrian told the press its Special Forces had been inside Mosul to assist the ISF. There are now around 450 Coalition advisers in Iraq from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, France, and other countries. They not only call in air strikes, but also collect intelligence, and help the ISF in other ways as well.

Finally, the Associated Press documented the back and forth of people that is going on inside Mosul. AP talked with two kids who fled Karama when it was attacked by the Iraqi forces. At the same time families were going back to Quds. There is a huge amount of people being displaced within Mosul who are not counted in the figures published by the United Nations or other aid groups because they are on the move and do not register. As the battle has dragged on there are more and more people attempting to escape the fighting. The government has tried to provide buses to ferry people out of conflict zones, as well as food, clothing and other supplies, but these appear to be ad hoc in nature.

SOURCES

AIN, "Cleared Moalimin and Aden in Mosul," 1/4/17,

- “Counterterrorism clearing neighborhoods on left coast of Mosul,” 1/4/17

Associated Press, “At Mosul front, Iraqis fleeing and returning cross paths,” 1/4/17

Bas News, "Iraqi Forces Retake Two More Neighborhoods East of Mosul," 11/17/16

BBC, "Mosul battle: Iraqi special forces enter city limits," 11/1/16

Buratha News, “Recent developments in the field during liberation operation of Mosul until 19:05 pm Wednesday 04 01 2017,” 1/4/17

- “Recent developments in the field during the liberation operation in Mosul until 20:00 Wednesday 04 01 2017,” 1/4/17

Face Iraq, “Security forces liberated Mithaq, Sumer, Jaffa and stormed Dumiz neighborhood on the left coast of Mosul,” 1/3/17

- “Security units continue operations against Daesh terrorists within Nineveh,” 1/4/17

Al Forat, “Federal Police approaching within 900 m of Salam Hospital in south Mosul,” 1/4/17

Hemid, Leyla, "Senior Iraqi Police Commander Killed in Mosul," Bas News, 1/4/17

Iraq Oil Report, "Inside Mosul, Dec. 7, 2016," 12/7/16

- “Inside Mosul: Jan. 4, 2017,” 1/4/17

Kalin, Stephen, “Exclusive: Fresh advance in east Mosul to begin within days – U.S. commander,” Reuters, 12/26/16

- “Iraqi forces gaining momentum in Mosul: U.S. coalition chief,” Reuters, 1/4/17

Kalin, Stephen and Coles, Isabel, “More than 2,000 Iraqis a day flee Mosul as military advances,” Reuters, 1/4/17

Al Maalomah, "The martyrdom and wounding of five people, including two soldiers by two suicide bombers east Mosul," 1/4/17

Al Mada, "Anti-terrorism forces free Moalimin neighborhood east Mosul," 11/19/16

- “Joint forces free and roll into five new neighborhoods in east Mosul,” 1/4/17

- "Killing 30 Daesh east Mosul," 1/4/17

Martinez, Luis, “American Military Advisers Have Entered Mosul at Times, US Official Says,” ABC News, 1/4/17

Al Masalah, "Daesh executed an entire family in Mosul," 1/4/17

New Sabah, "Anti-terrorism forces edge up to the Tigris from the Left Coast after the liberation of Akhaa, Zuhur, and Aden," 12/4/16

NINA, "A military source: Completing the liberation of Al-Baker and Aden neighborhoods, and storming the warriors area within the left-coast of the city of Mosul," 11/19/16

Pestano, Andrew, “Iraqi forces draw closer to recapturing Mosul’s city center after taking Mithaq district,” UPI 1/4/17

Rudaw, “Iraqi army in control of eastern suburbs of Mosul after liberating new neighborhoods,” 1/4/17

- “Three-pronged assault on Mosul leaves ISIS stretched thin, says coalition spokesperson,” 1/4/17

Al Sumaria, "Killed and wounded 19 people by a car bomb east Nineveh," 1/4/17

World Bulletin, "2nd massive suicide bombing kills 14 in Iraq's Mosul," 1/4/17

Xinhua, "Iraqi forces free more districts in eastern Mosul," 11/4/16