The pace of operations in Mosul has lessened slightly after
the recent gains. Northwest Mosul was quickly freed after a new front was
opened by the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF). Now there are just a few
neighborhoods left under Islamic State control along the Tigris River. The
Federal Police were fighting
in Tamuz 17 and the Old City district. The former was declared freed three
times before, but apparently still has Islamic State elements. Prime Minister
Haider Abadi also called
on the Golden Division to help take the rest of the city. Last week the unit
declared that it had accomplished all its goals in the campaign, but it never
stopped fighting. Reinforcements
have arrived as well to the Old City for the final push. There is a slight
pause in the offensive against the insurgents as the ISF consolidates its hold,
and reloads and rearms before they make their last drive.
Der
Spiegel published an article by an Iraqi photographer and film maker who
followed members of the Rapid Reaction Division (RRD) during the Mosul campaign
and accused them of torturing and killing prisoners. The photographer met two
members of the RRD during the fight for Fallujah in 2016. When the battle for
Mosul started, he accompanied them through several towns outside the city.
During that time, he witnessed prisoners being tortured, and was told that many
of them had been killed afterward. The Interior Ministry ordered
an investigation into the charges, while the RRD complained that the story was
completely false. Iraqi social media is also accusing the author of making up
his account. It would not be surprising at all to find cases of abuse as the
ISF are notorious for beating and torturing people for all types of crime even
ones not related to terrorism to obtain a confession. It would be hard to
believe that they stopped these practices now.
The Hashd started
the second phase of their west Mosul operation. They just seized the town of
Qayrawan, which was their first goal. They are now moving into the towns in the
west. Their next major goal is to seize Baaj, where many IS elements were
suspected of fleeing to when Mosul was attacked, and then to ultimately get to
the Syrian border. This move will bring continued criticism from the Kurdistan
Democratic Party in Sinjar, which feels that the Hashd are attempting to move
into their territory and create conflicts with them over their authority in the
area.
The United Nations continued
to record a large number of people flowing out of Mosul. From May 19-23 over
46,000 fled west Mosul. The majority, after being screened in Hamam al-Alil
were choosing to move onto east Mosul. The Iraqi government just opened a new camp
south of the city, which it turned over to the U.N. to manage. Additional sites
are being added to that location for 60,000 more people. Another camp is being
constructed next door for 30,000. All the camps south of the city are full or
at capacity except for the new one. There is plenty of room to the east and
north, but the Iraqi government is not informing people of them, nor providing
transportation. The overcrowding and the restrictions in the camps are a major
reason why so many are choosing to go to east Mosul instead. The U.N. and
others are afraid of another huge flood of people when the rest of Mosul is
taken. They are already feeling overwhelmed by the current situation, and the
Iraqi government is mismanaging things on top of that.
SOURCES
Baghdad Post, “Abadi
orders counterterrorism forces to regain rest of Mosul right bank,” 5/24/17
- "Iraqi forces recapture 3 new districts
in Mosul's right bank," 5/13/17
Bas News, “Iraqi
Forces Control 97% of West Mosul, 350 IS Militants Remaining,” 5/24/17
BBC, “Iraq
investigates alleged abuses by Mosul troops,” 5/24/17
Cordaid, “Frontline Distributions in West Mosul,” 5/23/17
Der Spiegel, “Not
heroes but monsters,” 5/23/17
Mostafa, Nehla, “Police control IS “legislative court of the
soldiers state” in western Mosul,” Iraqi News, 5/24/17
New Sabah, "Freed Iqtisadin and Tamuz 17 in
West Mosul," 5/17/17
Press TV, "Iraqi govt. forces retake
control of two key districts in west Mosul," 5/20/17
Reuters, “Iraq
orders investigation into abuses reported in Mosul battle,” 5/24/17
Shafaaq News,
“Special combat forces to break into last Daesh stronghold in Mosul,” 5/24/17
Al Sumaria, “The
popular crowd announces the start of a second operation to liberate the
remaining villages of western Qayrawan,” 5/24/17
UN High Commissioner
for Refugees, “Iraq Situation: UNHCR Flash Update – 23 May 2017,” 5/23/17
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs,
“Mosul Humanitarian Crisis, 22 May 2017,” 5/22/17
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