Iraqi forces gain ground into IS stronghold in Mosul

Mosul, Jan 12 (IANS) The Iraqi government forces on Wednesday extend its grip in the eastern side of the Islamic State (IS) stronghold in the city of Mosul in northern Iraq, as fierce clashes continued against the terrorists, the Iraqi military said.

In the eastern front, the elite forces of Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) recaptured the neighbourhood of 7th Nisan and cleared the adjacent neighbourhood of Sukkar, amid fierce clashes with the terrorists, Xinhua quoted a statement by the Iraqi Joint Operations Command as saying.

The battles in the two neighbourhoods left some 40 terrorists killed and three booby-trapped cars destroyed, the statement said.

The CTS commandos also freed al-Maliyah and raised the Iraqi flag over some of its buildings, leaving dozens of IS terrorists killed and two of their car bombs destroyed, the source said.

The recapture of 7th Nisan, al-Maliyah and other nearby neighbourhoods will pave the way for the troops to seize the eastern bank of the Tigris River, which will be crucial to launch next phase of attacks on the western side of Mosul.

In the southeastern front, the Iraqi federal police and army soldiers continued their advance into al-Salam, Palestine, Sumer, Yarimja and Sahiron amid heavy fighting with IS terrorists, leaving dozens of them killed and destroying a car bomb and two vehicles carrying terrorists, the statement said.

In the northern front, the army soldiers backed by international aircraft continued their heavy battles in al-Hadbaa and nearby areas, leaving dozens of IS terrorists killed and wounded, along with destroying seven booby-trapped vehicles destroyed, it added.