Crown Prince donates SR1 billion to support housing for eligible families    Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers discuss Oman-mediated talks with US    Prince Sultan University launches first bachelor's program in language and media    Al-Falih: Eastern Province hosts 700 investment opportunities worth SR330 billion    India demolishes houses of 10 alleged militants days after deadly Kashmir attack    Yemen's Houthis claim dozens killed in US strike on prison holding African migrants    Putin announces three-day Russian ceasefire in Ukraine from 8 May    Suspect charged after Vancouver car ramming leaves 11 dead    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame picks Outkast but not Oasis    Makkah police arrest Yemeni and Egyptian suspects of fake Hajj campaign    stc reports strong first-quarter 2025 results with 11% rise in net profit    Saudi Awwal Bank records SR2.1 billion net profit after zakat and income tax for 1Q25    Virgin Atlantic celebrates one month of nonstop service between London and Riyadh    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Iraq forces advance in Mosul; civilian toll mounts
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 11 - 01 - 2017

Iraqi forces have fought their way into two more southeastern districts of Mosul but their advances are being slowed by Daesh's tactic of using civilians for cover, a military spokesman said on Tuesday.
The United Nations said civilian casualties had streamed into nearby hospitals in the last two weeks as fighting intensified in the militants' last major stronghold in Iraq.
Advances by elite forces in the city's east and northeast have picked up speed in a new push since the turn of the year, and US-backed forces have for the first time reached the Tigris river, which bisects the city.
But fighting in neighborhoods in the southeast has been tougher.
"The challenge is that they (Daesh) are hiding among civilian families, that's why our advances are slow and very cautious," Lieutenant-Colonel Abdel Amir Al-Mohammedawi, a spokesman for the rapid response units of Iraq's federal police, told Reuters.
He said rapid response units and Iraqi army units had fought their way into the Palestine and Sumer districts in the last day, but that Islamic State fighters were firing at civilians trying to flee.
"The families, when they see Iraqi forces coming, flee from the areas controlled by Daesh toward the Iraqi forces, holding up white flags, and Daesh bomb them with mortars and Molotov cocktails, and also shoot at them.
"Whenever they (Daesh) withdraw from a district, they shell it at random, and it's heavy shelling," he said.
The United Nations' humanitarian coordination office (OCHA) said nearly 700 people had been taken to hospitals in cities in Kurdish-controlled areas outside Mosul in the last week, and more than 817 had required hospital treatment the week before that.
"Trauma casualties remain extremely high, particularly near frontline areas," it said.
The US-backed operation to drive the Daesh militants from Mosul began in October and has recaptured villages and towns surrounding the city, and most of Mosul's eastern half.
New tactics and better coordination have helped Iraqi forces advance faster since they launched a new phase of the operation more than 10 days ago.
The advances slowed in November and December as Daesh put up fierce resistance and hid among the civilian population, making it difficult for Iraqi forces to target them.


Clic here to read the story from its source.