RNA - The comprehensive military campaign by Iraqi military forces to liberate the Northern city of Mosul from ISIL militants continued on Tuesday, with local reports saying that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited the front-lines in Mosul in order to inspect the Iraqi forces battling the ISIL terror organization in the flashpoint city.
Iraqi PM Visits Mosul Liberated Areas, Meets Frontline Soldiers
The Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi made a scheduled trip to the front-lines in the Northern city of Mosul on Tuesday in order to inspect the Iraqi forces battling the ISIL terror organization in the flashpoint city.
Photos of Iraqi prime minister meeting with soldiers from the Iraqi Army and Federal Police were published by local media outlets, Al Masdar reported.
Local media also said the Iraqi prime minister also visited the liberated areas of Mosul.
Abadi’s visit to Mosul marks the first time in nearly three years that any Iraqi Prime Minister has traveled to the Nineveh province located in Northwestern Iraq.
Iraq Security Forces Take Mosul’s Main Government Complex, Museum Building
Elite Iraqi forces dislodged ISIL militants from the main government buildings in Mosul on Tuesday, their last major city stronghold in Iraq, an Iraqi spokesman said.
Mosul’s main museum, which was damaged and looted by the militants, was also taken, Lieutenant Colonel Abdel Amir al-Mohammadawi, a spokesman for the elite interior ministry Rapid Response units said, Iraqi News reported.
A special Rapid Response team stormed the Nineveh governorate building and the surrounding government complex in an overnight raid that lasted about an hour, he said.
Iraq's PMF Captures Key Mountain Overlooking Tal Afar City
Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) made an important advance Northwest of Tal Afar after they took control of the mountainous region near Al-Ayathia villages, thereby gradually encircling the ISIL stronghold in Nineveh Province.
ISIL sustained at least 30 casualties while five car bombs were utilized to counter the advancing PMF troops, however the Iraqi forces were able to destroy the car bombs well before they reach the PMF's positions, Al Masdar reported.
This newly captured area can be used by the PMF as a launching pad to storm Tal Afar and direct a large-scale offensive on the city.
Iraqi Forces Retake Turkish Consulate Building in Mosul after Nearly 3 Years Under ISIL
The Iraqi army recaptured the Turkish consulate general in Mosul about three years after it fell to ISIL as the group overran Iraq’s second largest city, Iraqi military sources said on Tuesday.
The consulate is located at Dur Al-Dhubat Caddesi next to Al-Shekban Mosque in Western Mosul. It is between al-Tayyaran district, recaptured on Feb 26, and the fourth bridge of Mosul that came under the control of the Iraqi forces this week, Rudaw reported.
When ISIL captured Mosul in June 2014 it seized the Turkish consulate, holding 46 Turks and three Iraqis, hostage. All the hostages were released in September 2014.
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