ISIS update 3/19/2017..Iraqi Forces “Very Close” to Grand Nuri Mosque
Iraqi forces close in on Mosul mosque
Iraqi forces 600m from key Mosque in Mosul
Battle for Mosul Day 153: Iraqi Forces “Very Close” to Grand Nuri Mosque
The comprehensive military campaign by Iraqi military forces to liberate the Northern city of Mosul from ISIL militants continued on Sunday, with local reports saying that Iraqi government troops are “very close” to a strategic mosque in Western Mosul.
Iraqi Forces “Very Close” to Famous Western Mosul Mosque
Commander of Iraqi Federal Police said the Iraqi forces was “very close” to a strategic mosque in Western Mosul, proceeding with operations to clear the area from ISIL militants.
Iraq’s Federal Police chief, Lt. Gen. Shaker Jawdat, said in a statement on Sunday that his forces were very close to the Grand Nuri Mosque in Old Mosul, another primary target for Iraqi security forces seeking to eradicate ISIL from Western Mosul since February, Iraqi News reported.
The Nuri Mosque was the location where ISIL ringleader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi delivered his famous sermon in 2014.
Iraqi Security Forces Recapture 2 Central Mosul Districts
Iraqi security forces moved deeper inside central Mosul on Sunday, and recaptured two more districts while killing and arresting several ISIL militants, media reports said.
A security source said the forces took full control of Khaled ibn al-Walid and Bab al-Sijn neighborhoods near Central Mosul’s Old City, opening safe exit routes for civilians, Skypress reported.
The troops moved on to al-Matahen (mills) area, killing 17 militants, including two suicide bombers.
Also near the Old City, Borhan al-Abdali, a lieutenant at the army’s Counter-Terrorism Force, told Anadolu Agency his forces retook Fatah al-Ali, an alleyway in the nearby Mosul al-Jadida district, killing 14 militants after two hours of intense fighting.
Hadi Al-Ameri: ISIL Not Able to Flee to Syria
Secretary-General of Iraq’s Badr Organization Hadi al-Ameri underlined that all ISIL escape routes in Iraq have been blocked and the terrorists cannot flee to Syria at all.
Al-Ameri told al-Mayadeen news channel that his forces have managed to create different fronts in Mosul, Tal Afar and Mosul general region to drive a wedge between the ISIL terrorists in the region.
“We preferred to start the operations from the Western side of Mosul and then enter the Tal Afar battleground so that the ISIL’s supply routes will be blocked,” he said.
12 Iraqi Civilians Injured in ISIL Chemical Attack on Mosul Liberated Areas
Twelve civilians were injured in a chemical attack conducted by ISIL militants in the Iraqi Northern city of Mosul, police said.
The attack was launched on the liberated areas of Mosul, using highly toxic gases, a police spokesman in the province of Nineveh said, Bas News reported.
Captain Yunis Mohammed said in a press statement that at least twelve civilians, including women and children, suffered severe suffocation, as a result of a chemical attack with toxic gases conducted by the ISIL militants.
Iraqi Forces Discover Underground ISIL Prison in Central Mosul
Iraqi forces discovered an ISIL prison in the area of Bab al-Saray during a search operation in Central Mosul, a federal police officer said.
Colonel Khodier Saleh said in a statement that Iraqi forces have found an underground tunnel leading to a prison, set up and used by the ISIL militants in the Bab al-Saray area, in Central Mosul, Iraqi News reported.
According to Saleh’s statement the prison contained a torturing room, a large amount of missiles and light weapons, as well as ten prisoners. The prisoners among whom were three former army officers.
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Syrian government forces have engaged in heavy clashes with foreign-backed militants in eastern fringes of Damascus. According to Syrian media, the fighting erupted after militants attacked army positions. Officials have been quoted as saying that the militants launched two car bomb attacks in an attempt to storm the army’s defense lines. The two sides reportedly exchanged heavily in Jobar district which stands between the capital city and militant-held Ghouta neighborhood. Syrian troops have been battling militants around the capital for months. They have liberated many districts and villages so far.
Syrian MRLs pummel Al-Qaeda positions in northern Hama
Homs Waer Terrorists Leave Towards North East Aleppo Countryside
Thousands of civilians and rebels leave Homs
Syrian rebels and relatives arrive in north after Homs evacuation
Demonstration of women and children against the terrorists of Jund al-Aqsa in the town of Sarmin, Idlib province.
Families Displaced by Assad From Homs Arriving in Al Bab
Syrian Arab Army recaptured from the terrorists ISIS of mountain range Jabal al-Mazar and took control of Jabal al-Haram. To the north of Palmyra, Homs province.
Syrian army fighting ISIS in Deir ez-Zor
Iran condemns deadly US raid on Syria mosque
The Syrian army soldiers laid siege on the strategic town of Deir Hafer in Eastern Aleppo from the Northern, Western and Southern directions after taking control of the town of al-Harmal.
Aleppo
The Syrian army continued military operations in Eastern Aleppo and regained control of all villages located to the South of Kuweires airbase.
The army forces seized back full control over the towns of Rasm al-Abd, Tal Ahmar and al-Asemiyeh to the South of Kuweires that are linked to Sabkhat al-Jaboul region in Eastern Aleppo after heavy clashes with the ISIL terrorists.
A military source also said that the Syrian soldiers laid siege on the strategic town of Deir Hafer from the Northern, Western and Southern directions after retaking control over the town of al-Harmal Southwest of Deir Hafer, adding that the ISIL has already lost the town in military terms.
Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian army troops continued operations near Kuweires airbase in Eastern Aleppo, and advanced in several more regions.
The army forces regained control of al-Kabariyeh town in the Northern parts of Deir Hafer after clashes with the ISIL terrorists.
They also won back the strategic hill of Khasaf South of Kuweires and North of the town of Sabkhat al-Jaboul after capturing the towns of Khasaf and al-Zubaydeh.
Meantime, the army soldiers targeted the ISIL positions in Deir Hafer and destroyed several ditches and tunnels in the strategic town.
Also on Saturday, the Syrian army continued military operations in Eastern Aleppo and advanced in more regions along the Raqqa-Aleppo highway.
The army units imposed control of 7 more kilometers of lands on the international Raqqa-Aleppo highway after clashes with the ISIL terrorists and killing tens of them.
A military source reported that during their operations in the past few days, the Syrian army troops have captured 11 towns and villages, adding that the government soldiers have also destroyed 7 bomb-laden vehicles, defused over 2,000 bombs and seized two Turkish-made ‘Cobra’ armored vehicles.
They also smashed 3 tanks, 9 vehicles, 2 arms trucks carrying ammunition and artillery equipment and 4 drones, 3 of which armed with explosives.
Deir Ezzur
The Syrian army, supported by the air force, repelled two ISIL offensives against their positions near Deir Ezzur airbase and the surrounding areas of Regiment 137, inflicting heavy casualties on the terrorists.
The army units stationed at Deir Ezzur airbase, supported by the Syrian fighter jets, repulsed the ISIL militants’ attempts to occupy the region by launching artillery attacks and airstrikes against their moves.
Army reports said one tank, 8 machinegun-equipped vehicles and 2 bomb-laden cars of ISIL were destroyed near al-Ta’min Brigade region and 2 other suicide vehicles were also damaged near al-Ma’amel region.
During the clashes, tens of ISIL terrorists were killed and wounded, the army said.
Also, the army forces fiercely clashed with the ISIL militants who sought to enter the surrounding areas of Regiment 137, inflicting 10 casualties on the terrorists and smashing their machinegun-equipped vehicle.
Meantime, a military source reported that the Syrian soldiers targeted a boat carrying terrorists towards al-Baliqiyeh-Heart Hospital with artillery fire and killed all those on the boat.
A Russian daily reported on Saturday that the ISIL power is declining in Raqqa and Mosul, adding that the terrorist group is now very much likely to pick up Deir Ezzur as its new self-proclaimed capital.
Izvestia newspaper reported that the ISIL has transferred its senior commanders to Deir Ezzur after its major losses in Iraq and Syria.
General Turki Hassan, a prominent military expert, told the Russian daily that the ISIL move to Deir Ezzur is not just confined to the military commanders and includes their family members too.
Also, Brigadier General Yahya Soleiman, a retired army commander, said that the ISIL has decided to attack the Syrian army forces in Deir Ezzur and it has launched massive offensives against the army positions near the highly important Deir Ezzur airbase in the past few days which were all repelled.
Meantime, Boris Dolgov, a Russian analyst, underlined that the ISIL is showing futile resistance because after continued defeats in Iraq and Syria, the terrorist group will be turned into an armed group not in control of any specific area which should always be on the move to find another region to base its command center there, and Deir Ezzur is their base choice to this end.
Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian army launched massive attacks on ISIL and advanced in al-Ma’amel region after repelling the terrorists’ offensive on areas near Regiment 137 Base and killing more than 130 militants.
The army units regained control of two districts in al-Ma’amel region after heavy clashes with the ISIL terrorists.
They also killed over 130 terrorists and destroyed 3 of their military vehicles during the clashes to repulse an ISIL attack on areas surrounding Regiment 137 Base.
The Syrian soldiers also killed tens of ISIL militants in artillery and missile attacks against their positions in the Old Airport, al-Hamidiyeh and the Central Park districts.
Meantime, the army forces launched massive attacks on ISIL bases near al-Ta’min Brigade region, destroying two vehicles and inflicting several casualties on the terrorists.
Homs
The Syrian army scored more victories against the terrorists in Eastern Homs and advanced in important areas East of the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur).
According to al-Masdar news, the army soldiers continued military operations in Eastern Palmyra and seized back control of all oilfields near al-Mustadireh mountain after regaining the heights from the militants.
Reports said that tens of ISIL terrorists were killed during the army operations in the region.
Also reports said on Saturday that hundreds of terrorists who have turned down the government’s peace offer will soon start evacuating al-Wa’er district in Homs province.
The first group of terrorists consisting of 450 militants and their family members will leave the region once tens of Green Buses arrive in al-Wa’er to relocate them.
Based on an agreement between the Syrian army and the terrorist groups, supervised by Russia, 1,500 to 2,000 militants will be transferred to Jerablus in the Eastern parts of Aleppo on Saturday.
The next stages of the agreement will be implemented in the next few days.
Raqqa
The predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL and managed to take control of several regions East of the terrorist group’s self-proclaimed capital, Raqqa.
The SDF forces seized control of Abu Khashab train station in the Northern parts of al-Karameh town in Eastern Raqqa after heavy clashes with the terrorists.
Prior to this victory, the Kurdish forces had taken control of al-Karameh and the strategic region of wheat silos in Eastern Raqqa from the ISIL.
Local sources said the ISIL has declared a curfew in Raqqa city after the recent defeats from the SDF.
Syrian Army Rapidly Advancing in Damascus Province
Syrian Army on Verge of Retaking Strategic Region in Eastern Homs
Syrian Army Expanding Buffer Zone around Palmyra
Syrian Army Tightens Noose on ISIL in Deir Hafer
Dara’a: Army Captures Al-Nusra Front Positions
Hadi Al-Ameri: ISIL Not Able to Flee to Syria
Army Repels Terrorists’ Attacks in Damascus
Homs: Over 1,400 Militants, Family Members Leave Al-Wa’er District
Politician: S. Arabia Supports Sabotage Acts to Block Political Settlement of Crisis in Syria
Source: http://blogdogcicle.blogspot.com/2017/03/isis-update-3192017iraqi-forces-very.html
