Battle for Mosul Day 17:

Iraqi Forces Striking ISIL in Mosul Center

Rasa - Iraqi military forces' offensive to liberate the city of Mosul form ISIL militants continued on Wednesday with Iraq's Federal Police Chief, Raed Shaker Jowdat reporting that his forces have stormed ISIL's positions in Central Mosul from three flanks after prevailing over the terrorists' defense lines.

News ID: 424754

Date: 02 November 2016 - 19:01

RNA - Iraqi Forces Striking ISIL's Positions in Mosul City Center from 3 Flanks

Iraq's Federal Police Chief Raed Shaker Jowdat disclosed on Wednesday that his forces have stormed ISIL's positons in Central Mosul from three flanks after prevailing over the terrorists' defense lines.

"The entire first defense lines of ISIL in the Southern flank of Mosul city have been devastated," the police chief wrote on his face book.

"We have annihilated the entire first defense lines of ISIL in Southern Mosul, and our military units, backed up by the army's artillery units and Iraqi fighter jets, are advancing towards center of Mosul," Shaker Jowdat said.

ISIL's 'Military Operations Room' Chief Killed North of Iraq's Mosul

Chief Commander of ISIL's 'military operations room' was killed by Iraqi Army forces during battles in a region just North of the ISIL-held city of Mosul, a local source said Wednesday.

"The ISIL commander, who was known as Abu Yaqub, was killed along with one of his top aides during the battles in al-Shalalat region just North of Mosul," the source said.

The source added that ISIL militants are fleeing the left flank of Mosul battlefield in groups to the right side of the ISIL-held city after Iraqi Army forces made significant advances in the region and toward the Northern Iraqi city which has been under the terrorists' control since 2014.

Iraqi Forces Deploy Near Mosul Int'l Airport

Iraq's Federal Police forces liberated three more villages and approached Mosul's international airport on Wednesday.

Iraq's Federal Police Chief Raed Shaker Jowdat wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday that his forces have seized back control of al-Khafsan, Shahloub and Bazireh villages and are now only 16km away from the international Mosul airport.

The Federal Police forces also seized control of al-Katieh in the Western parts of Hamam al-Alil in Southern Mosul.

Iraqi Forces Continue to Drive ISIL out of More Positions at Mosul Entrance

Iraq's Federal Police forces continued their advances against ISIL terrorists at the entrances of the Northern city of Mosul and captured several villages.

The police forces won back the village of al-Mankar in the Northern side of al-Shoureh district.

The Iraqi police also took back the villages of Bezouneh and Albu Qalawin. Meantime, they entered the village of al-Qaherh near the entrances of Hamam al-Alil in the Southern part of Mosul city.

Iraq's PMF Advances Further towards Tal Afar West of Mosul

Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces continued their special operation in Western Mosul to cut off ISIL's escape paths from the Northern Iraqi city to Syria and advanced further towards the ISIL positions South of the key city of Tal Afar, military sources said on Wednesday.

The sources said the Iraqi popular forces advanced towards the city of Tal Afar, some 63 km West of Mosul in the Northwestern Nineveh Province, pushing the terrorists further back to the East.

Iraq: ISIL Commanders Allow Withdrawal From Mosul

A provincial official in Nineveh said that ISIL commanders have allowed the terrorist group's members to leave Mosul as soon as possible following rapid advances of the Iraqi Army across the city.

"ISIL's field commanders have ordered their elite fighters to leave Mosul for Syria," Hesamulddin al-Abar said.

"Mosul streets are empty of ISIL terrorists and the capture of the TV building and other districts of Mosul by the Iraqi Army soldiers have devastated ISIL's morale and capabilities," he further added.

Iraqi Prime Minister: Invasion of Iraq to Lead to Turkish Downfall

Ankara's decision to send troops to Iraq will lead to Turkey’s eventual breakup, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi warned the neighbor.

"Any invasion by Turkey in Iraq will lead to its breakup," the Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider Abadi said, Al Mayadin reported.

Baghdad does not want a war with Ankara but is ready for it, Abadi threatened, after media reported Turkey was pulling armored vehicles and tanks to their joint border.

Iraq Security Forces Kill over 1,100 ISIL Militants in Mosul Operation

Iraqi Army troops killed 778 ISIL members in the "Southern fronts" of the operation to liberate the Northern city of Mosul, while Iraqi warplanes dropped bombs on 375 militants, according to an Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman.

"Iraqi security forces recaptured hundreds of miles of land  and killed killed over 1,100 ISIL fighters as their advance against the ISIL stronghold from the South continued," said Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman, Col. Sa'ad Moen, Iraqi News reported.

The spokesman said 778 ISIL members were killed in operations by ground forces in the "Southern axis," while 375 others were killed as Iraqi warplanes dropped bombs on their positions.

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