Violence In Iraq, March 1-7, 2017

There were a total of 179 incidents reported in Iraq in the first week of March. That was just around the same amount as the previous week when there were 181. Those high figures were due to the fighting in Mosul.

A total of 749 people were killed and 622 wounded. 21 Peshmerga, 21 Hashd al-Shaabi, 37 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), and 670 civilians lost their lives. Another 2 Sahwa, 50 Hashd, 131 ISF, and 439 Civilians were injured.

Mosul Campaign Day 145, Mar 10, 2017

There was more movement into the middle of west Mosul, and in the Badush district. The Golden Division seized the Amil 1, Amil 2 and the Aghawat neighborhoods. The Federal Police and Rapid Reaction Division moving up the Tigris River freed Nabi Sheet, Okaidat, Bab Jadid, and attacked Bab al-Tob again. To the west of the city the Iraqi forces (ISF) took two more towns in the Badush area. The advance along multiple fronts is stretching the Islamic State’s defenses. General Maan al-Saadi from the Golden Division claimed that they had been broken, but that’s yet to be seen.

Mosul Campaign Day 144, Mar 9, 2017

March 9 was a day of advances and consolidation for the Iraqi forces (ISF). Inside Mosul the Golden Division freed Muallemin and Silo in the southwest. The police were clearing the areas they had taken in the southeast along the Tigris River, and fighting just outside the Mosul Museum. General Talib Shaghati of the Golden Division hoped that all of western Mosul could be taken within a month. To the west the 9^th Division and the Al-Abbas Division of the Hashd took the Badush power station, and two towns in the area as well. These represent the three main axes in the Mosul campaign, even though the last has not reached the city itself yet. The original operational plan launched in October collapsed because the Iraqi command could not coordinate its forces on multiple fronts, and had to consolidate them all down to just one. In the four months since the ISF has been able to successfully develop their strategies and implementation.

Mosul Campaign Day143, Mar 8, 2017

Mansour above Wadi Hajar was one of the new neighborhoods taken on March 8 (Medecins Sans Frontieres)

The Golden Division continued their push from the southern tip of west Mosul into the center. The Joint Operations Command had it freeing the Mansour and Shahuda neighborhoods. A security source told New Sabah that the Federal Police and Rapid Reaction Division were pushing into the Old City, but that might be premature. The Iraqi Forces (ISF) are advancing along two axes. One is along the Tigris River by the police and the other is in the middle by the Golden Division. Eventually a third from the west should be opened as well when the 9^th Division and Al-Abbas Division finally reach the city.

Mosul Campaign Day 141-42, Mar 6-7, 2017

Iraqi forces captured the Hurriya Bridge March 6 and prematurely claimed to have taken the government complex, but were ambushed by the Islamic State (BBC)

March 6 the Iraqi forces (ISF) were moving into the middle of west Mosul. First the Federal Police (FP) and Rapid Reaction Division (RRD) captured the Hurriya Bridge. This was the second span across the Tigris that the ISF secured. All of the bridges were knocked out by the U.S. led Coalition during the battle for east Mosul to hinder the Islamic State’s movement within the city. The FP and RRD also seized a number of government buildings and public works in the Danadan neighborhood. The Golden Division was fighting in the western outskirts and center of the western section of the city and seized Samoud. Finally, Dour al-Sokkar near the Ghazlani Camp just outside of Mosul was also freed.

How Is The Islamic State Dealing With Its Defeat In Mosul? Interview With Charlie Winter On IS Media Output

More than half of Mosul has fallen to Iraqi government forces and it is only a matter of time before the whole city is retaken. How is the Islamic State portraying this defeat? Has it changed its messaging since the start of the battle? Charlie Winter a Senior Research Fellow at the International Center for the Study of Radicalization at King’s College, London and an Associate Fellow at the International Center for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague sheds light on this issue. He has been following The Islamic State’s media output throughout the Mosul campaign. He can be followed on Twitter @charliewinter.

Mosul Campaign Day 140, Mar 5, 2017

The Iraqi forces (ISF) went back on the offensive after a one day pause. On March 5 there were no operations due to the poor weather. On March 6 the ISF went back to work attacking along two fronts. First, the Federal Police and Rapid Reaction Division continued their push up the Tigris River assaulting the Danadan and Dawas neighborhoods, taking the former. The Golden Division moved up the center of south Mosul into Sumoud, Tal Ruman, Shuhada and Mansour. Danadan, Dawas and Tal Ruman had all been declared freed before. In Tal Ruman, the Islamic State were using civilians as human shields to try to stop the Iraqi advance. U.S. Apache helicopters as well as the mix of Coalition and Iraqi planes were seen overhead. The ISF are still in the tip of south Mosul pushing into the center, but are making steady progress. As usual, the Islamic State is putting up a stiff defense, but it is only a matter of time before it is broken.