Battle for Mosul Day 16:

First District of Mosul Falls into Hands of Iraqi Army

Rasa - Military operation by the Iraqi military forces to liberate the city of Mosul continued on Tuesday as reports said special units of the Iraqi Army have eventually come in control of a district in Mosul and seized the city's radio and television building.

News ID: 424735

Date: 01 November 2016 - 23:24

RNA - First District of Mosul Falls Militarily into Hands of Iraqi Gov't Forces

Special forces of the Iraqi Army troops have completed siege of ISIL terrorists in the strategic al-Karama district in Southeastern Mosul city, field sources said minutes ago adding the district as well as the Radio and Television building have fallen into hand of the government forces.

"Only a few number of ISIL terrorists have remained in al-Karama district and the rest have retreated the district under the heavy offensive of the Iraqi army soldiers," the sources said.

"Unknown snipers gunned down three ISIL commanders in al-Karama," the sources added.

"Scores of ISIL commanders are fleeing Mosul in non-military vehicles to evade airstrikes," they added.

Iraq: ISIL Evacuates Injured Members from Mosul's Hospitals

A local source in Nineveh province said on Tuesday that rapid advances of Iraqi government forces have caused the ISIL terrorist group to evacuate its wounded members from Mosul's medical centers, relocating them to unknown destinations.

"A number of buses transferred tens of ISIL's injured members from Mosul to unknown militant-held regions," the source said.

"The injured ISIL members will be relocated possibly to Raqqa's hospitals in Syria," the source said.

"ISIL has also dispatched its medical staff with the buses. ISIL may establish field hospitals in remote regions under its control," the source added.

Iraqi Gov't Forces Continue to Advance against ISIL in Western Mosul

Iraqi Army troops and popular forces of Hashed al-Sha'abi continued to drive ISIL terrorists out of more villages and positions in Western Nineveh, inflicting a heavy death toll on the militants, battlefield sources said Tuesday.

"The Iraqi government forces, on the 16th day of the Mosul Liberation Operation, struck ISIL's positions and pushed the terrorists back from the villages of Ferferah, Imam Hamzeh, Um Sijan, al-Sayad and Abu Hajireh," the sources said.

ISIL suffered a heavy death toll and its military equipment sustained major damage in the attacks.

PMF Commander: Iraq's Popular Forces Awaiting Abadi Order to Attack Turkish Troops

The Iraqi popular forces, Hashd al-Sha'abi, said on Tuesday that the forces are awaiting for prime minister's order to attack the Turkish troops stationed near Mosul.

Hashd al-Sha'abi's deputy commander, Abu Mahdi Muhandis, stated on Tuesday that the presence of the Turkish troops in Nineveh province is considered a transgression against the Iraqi sovereignty, BAS News reported.

Hashd al-Sha'abi's mission is to protect Tal Afar town in Western Mosul and control the main way between Mosul and Syria to prevent the ISIL militants from crossing into Raqqa, he said.

Mosul: US Planes Flying over Iraqi Popular Forces, Imaging Positions, Movements

A commander of Iraqi popular forces of Hashed al-Sha'abi said on Tuesday that a US military plane has carried out several reconnaissance flights over his forces' positions in Western Mosul without any prior coordination to declared intention or plan.

"The imaging operation of a US military plane over our forces' positions is suspicious. Our forces are worried about a possible attack on their positions by the US warplanes," Arabic-language Ma'aloumeh news quoted Spokesman of Asa'eb Ahl al-Haq Jawad al-Talibawi as saying.

Turkey Deploys Tanks, Equipment near Iraqi Border

Ankara deployed numerous tanks and military hardware close to the border with Iraq, according to the local media.

The unspecified number of tanks and armored vehicles headed from central Turkey to the districts of Silopi and Sirnak in the Sirnak province, NTV reported.

On December 4, Turkey deployed about 150 troops and 25 tanks to Northern Iraq reportedly to help national forces to reclaim the city of Mosul from ISIL militants, prohibited in Russia and many other countries.

Senior ISIL Commander Killed in Iraqi Air Raid in Mosul

A notorious commander of ISIL and seven other terrorists were killed in Iraqi airstrikes on their hideout in the Central part of the city of Mosul.

Iraqi Air Force, tipped off by the intelligence agents, targeted heavily a secret meeting of ISIL in Mosul, killing at least eight terrorists, including Abu Tariq al-Hayali.

In the meantime, Iraq's Popular Badr Forces said in a statement that its forces discovered the longest tunnel network of ISIL in Western part of Mosul.

The statement added that the tunnel was equipped with a central radar system and a large depot of explosive material.

ISIL Executes 300 People by Fire Squad North of Mosul

A leading member of Iraq's Nineveh Provincial Council announced that the ISIL executed 300 civilians and former security members, North of Mosul.

“ISIL members executed 300 persons for collaborating with security forces,” Hossam al-Din al-Abbar, member of Nineveh Provincial Council, said in a press statement, Iraqi News reported.

“The ISIL was detaining them in its prisons, and executed them by firing squad in Moshairefa village, North of Mosul,” he pointed out.

Hadi Al-Ameri: Iraqi Popular Forces to Chase ISIL in Syria If Needed

Commander of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces Hadi al-Ameri underlined his forces' firm determination to purge the ISIL from their country, and said they will be deployed in Syria to annihilate the terrorists if needed.

"Our mission is liberation of the country and closing the borders strongly and if needed, we will go to Syria to chase the ISIL terrorists since we believe that if the ISIL isn’t annihilated in Syria, war will in fact continue to threaten Iraq," Ameri said in a press conference in Western Mosul.

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