IS fighters left in Mosul will die, says US envoy McGurk

 

 

IMAGE COPYRIGHT AFP

Image caption Iraqi forces now control eastern Mosuland more than a third of the west

Any so-called Islamic State (IS) fighters left in Mosul will die in the Iraqi city, a US envoy co-ordinating the offensive has said.

Brett McGurk, the senior US official in the counter-IS coalition, issued the warning after Iraqi forces cut off the last road out of the city, trapping IS fighters inside.

The jihadists have held Mosul, Iraq’s second city, since 2014.

But Iraqi forces have managed to retake large areas in a months-long offensive.

They now control all of Mosul’s eastern side, and the latest US-backed push against IS – which began on 5 March – has forced the extremists from key locations in the west, including the main local government headquarters and the famed Mosul museum.

Heavy fighting continued over the weekend, with Mr McGurk telling reporters in Baghdad on Sunday “just last night, the 9th Iraqi army division … cut off the last road out of Mosul”.

He added “Any of the fighters who are left in Mosul, they’re going to die there, because they’re trapped.

“So we are very committed to not just defeating them in Mosul, but making sure these guys can not escape.”

Staff Major General Maan al-Saadi, of Iraq’s elite Counter-Terrorism Service, said government forces now controlled “more than a third” of western Mosul.

He said he believed the fight would be easier than in eastern Mosul, which took 100 days to reclaim after the offensive was launched in October, finally falling in January.

However, federal police and rapid response units say they have now entered the Bab al-Tob area of the Old City, where the fight is expected to be tough due to its narrow alleyways through which armoured vehicles can not pass.

Meanwhile, Joint Operations Command spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Rasool said he believed IS was weakening.

But he added: “The battle is not easy … we are fighting an irregular enemy who hides among the citizens and uses tactics of booby-trapping, explosions and suicide bombers, and the operation is taking place with precision to preserve the lives of the citizens. “

It is thought there may be as many as 600,000 civilians still trapped in IS-controlled areas of Mosul.

Statements came a The day after Iraqi forces by said That a “large by mass grave” Had been found a near the city.

It contained the remains of hundreds of “civilian prisoners who were executed by (IS) gangs after they controlled the prison during their occupation of Mosul”.

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U.S. Department of Defense

 

 

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2017 — Indigenous Iraqi and Syrian forces have made tremendous progress taking the fight to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and Americans should be very proud of the role played in the effort by a small number of U.S. troops, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during an interview.

Iraqi soldiers enrolled in the Iraqi ranger course conduct a road march under the supervision of U.S. soldiers with 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment at Camp Taji, Iraq, March 7, 2016. The Iraqi ranger course is an advanced infantry fighting school established to help train special operations soldiers for the Iraqi Army. Army photo by Sgt. Paul Sale

When Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford took over as chairman in October 2015, ISIS had taken vast portions of Iraq and Syria and sought to establish a caliphate. The counter-ISIS strategy he inherited sought to train local forces to combat the terror organization.

This meant small numbers of American and coalition troops would work with Iraqi and vetted Syrian forces. Coalition air assets, special operators and artillery units would support the campaign.

“The Iraqis have to be very proud of their forces,” Dunford said. “But I think we have to be very proud of the coalition, and what U.S. forces have accomplished.”

Iraqi forces pushed back ISIS in Ramadi and Beiji and are now pushing into western Mosul — the largest city taken by ISIS. The strategy is working, the chairman said, and it’s because young American service members are doing the hard work every day to make it happen.

An Iraqi engineer operates a boat during assault bridging training at Camp Taji, Iraq, last month. U.S. soldiers trained Iraqi soldiers to quickly place standard ribbon bridges in support of Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve. Army photo by Spc. Christopher Brecht

“If you think of the relatively small number of Americans that had deployed to Iraq over the past 18 to 24 months,” he said, “… if you think about how hard they had to work in conjunction with Iraqi security forces to make sure we learned the lessons from Ramadi and Anbar province … and applied those lessons with the right capabilities in Mosul; I’ll just tell you I am proud of the force that has done that.”

The Task Ahead

There still remains much to do in Iraq, the general said, and he is taking nothing for granted.

In Syria, indigenous forces are isolating Raqqa and pushing back well dug-in ISIS forces on all fronts. There, the progress has been dependent on an even smaller number of Americans who worked to recruit, train and strengthen counter-ISIS forces.

A U.S. Army Special Forces soldier advises a Manbij Military Council instructor as she helps a MMC trainee during marksmanship training at Sanaa Training Center in Syria, Feb. 22, 2017. The MMC is a multi-ethnic force that includes Kurds, Arabs, Christians, Turkmen, Yazidis and others. The course is administered by Special Operations Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve trainers. Army photo by Master Sgt. Mark Burrell

“We sent those guys into an incredibly complex environment,” Dunford said. “We told them to go in collect intelligence, develop relationships, vet people and identify people willing to take the fight to the enemy, train those people, equip those people, support those people, and win.”

And those special operations forces and U.S. Air Force personnel did it — day after day, little by little, and under extreme circumstances, the chairman said.

“The fact that we are now talking about divergent political challenges, the fact that we are now addressing questions of what happens after Mosul or Raqqa, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that it is a reflection of the members of the joint force that have actually enabled the indigenous force to take the fight to the enemy,” Dunford said. “Now we have the political opportunities that we didn’t have two years ago to establish the framework for long-term peace and stability, and we owe it to them.”

(Follow Jim Garamone on Twitter: @GaramoneDoDNews)

https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1110533/dunford-americans-should-be-proud-of-role-us-troops-play-in-iraq-syria

 

Joint Operations: control over 80 percent of Mosul

 

3/13/2017 0:24  BAGHDAD / morning Mosul / Sunrise Maher The leadership of the Ministry of Defense control the joint operations announced so far 60 percent of the right side of any 80 percent of the entire city while still progressing with four other neighborhoods of the city center. Edit most of the areas , said Brigadier General Yahya Messenger spokesman for leadership in a press statement: The «Our forces seized so far 60 percent of the right side of the city of Mosul, and there is progress of our security forces and the refraction of the terrorist gangs Daesh». Messenger He added that « the security forces are currently battling four neighborhoods deeply right side of the conductor». Iraqi forces have managed to free many of the strategic neighborhoods of control Daesh, notably Mosul International Airport, and Camp Ghazlani, government buildings complex , which includes the province and theprovincial council inspired pedal. Shows a map published by the media cell – Harbi Our troops freed 80 percent of the entire Mosul. Control Alogwat neighborhood also announced operational commander (coming, Nineveh) Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Yar God, yesterday afternoon the completion of anti – terrorism device forces edit Alogwat neighborhood record time, and it was Yar God has revealed that these forces began themorning broke into the New Mosul neighborhood as it liberated Alogwat neighborhood. According to a statement to the cell media war, the «pieces device progressing directions several penetrating inside revive the letter and perpetuated apetition with the new city and shy of oil and Nablus, and continues the progress was able to kill a number of Alarhabbn and destroyed five wheels bomb placements defensive detachments mortar and dropping two marches and detonate 14 explosive device ». Yar God also noted that the pieces of the band liberated village Drnajouk supervisor on theeast bank of the Tigris River (north – east of Mosul) and the eastern side Badush, reminding that this cutter saw progress pieces band and managed to free the village ofKhoja Khalil and control of the large water project in the village of dome nutritious water on the left coast full control on the president facility Geber east Badush and continues theprogress and managed to kill a number of terrorists and destroying three wheels bomb and another carrying terrorists and mortar detachments and 15 bombing of an explosive device. Rapid progress in the meantime, a colonel in the anti – terror apparatus, Duraid Saeed said in a statement to correspondent «morning», that «with the progress of troops the terrorists Daesh forcing residents of Nablus neighborhood to leave their homes wheels and taken to an unknown destination for taking human shields, while those executed by terrorists 16 civilians , including the elderly and children , because of their refusal to go with Daesh in addition to the burning of their homes without telling families stationed inside ». At the same time, the commander of the federal police forces team Raed Shakir Jawdat said the cuts Third Divisions and rapid response subsidiaries of leadership were based line of initiation near the Liberty Bridge to Ttogla deep in the door of the brick area within the old city with the imposition of control high in the buildings ,along with the deployment of snipers and weapons chock them. He noted that the pieces of the fifth and sixth divisions continue combing and inspections in search of any remnants of Doaash in shy of the pedal and Aekadat editors , along with the evacuation of displaced people and to provide all necessary assistance to the people. Championships popular crowd and on the opposite side, ie , on the west bank of the Tigris River, revealed a statement to inform the Authority popular crowd for the heroes of the Second Brigade of the forces of the crowd were able yesterday to kill the so – called (and to aBadush) terrorist (Ali Salim al – Jubouri). As indicated media military cell that cuts Armored Division ninth and my band – Abbas (AS) and Imam Ali (AS) subsidiaries to PDF crowd .. continuous purge cement Badush and villages and the liberated areas of the hand Badush plant (20 km north – west of Mosul) of improvised explosive devices and incursions into the and clearing buildings and a lot of progress toward Tel – Rayes, certain to find the graves of Mgdoran next Badush prison and pieces still continuing progress where they have killed a number of terrorists and destroyed wheels bomb and mortar detachments and sparked a series of improvised explosive devices. Also delivered Champions Brigade 26 popular arrested mobilize the criminals , two of the perpetrators of the massacre Badush prison committed by Daesh against unarmed prisoners gangs during the events of the fall of Mosul in June 2014.   The killing and the arrest of Daesh leaders while quoted correspondent «morning» Colonel in the Federal Police Tariq Mohsin, as saying : the security forces have killed and arrested 18 of the most prominent leaders of Daesh gangs during their assault on one of the areas, adding that the federal police forces have launched violent attacks on terrorist hideouts in the pension market area which resulted in the killing of five leaders and the arrest of 13 others after surrounding them in a narrow area near the market , including the so – called ( themilitary official to the axis west of Mosul).   As the military intelligence directorate confirmed the death of the so – called (chief administrative officer for Daesh) terrorist (Mahmoud Fathi Abu Russell) airstrike targeted at the intersection between the shy new Mosul and Agrarian Reform coast right. Also told Dean in the Joint Special Operations Command Mohammed al – Jubouri, email us to fly international coalition bombed abuilding Assyria hotel Corniche Street adjacent to the River Tigris central coast right, which resulted in the killing of five of the snipers Daesh foreigners from Russian and German nationalities were hiding on the roof of the hotel. He said al – Jubouri said theinternational coalition aircraft also carried out air strikes targeted the shops and buildings located in the exchange area inside the Corniche Road , which led to the killing of seven Doaash and destruction mechanisms belongs to them, indicating that our troops are now spreading in the Corniche Street and impose its control over large parts of the stock market. The crowd and the SPLA  saw boycotted Tal Afar kept by operations by forces of the popular crowd and the Iraqi army foiled been carried out by a group of terrorists Daesh yesterday, according to what reported by the colonel in command of the joint operations, Khudair Saleh, the correspondent «morning». He explained that the brigade 92 popular and crowd forces managed to thwart the Daesh attack is the deadliest of its kind targeting Afar Airport (50 km west of Mosul), where he managed to kill 18 Daashaa including four suicide bombers driving wheels bomber tried to target our forces deployed on the airport , which is under the control of the army and the crowd surroundings People who arrested three Doaash tried to sneak into the airport were wearing military camouflage clothing, indicating that the pieces were distributed on the outskirts of theairport from all directions and imposed a security cordon on nearby villages to prevent theinfiltration of terrorists and foil any expected another attack.

http://www.alsabaah.iq/ArticleShow.aspx?ID=133481

Barzani: Baghdad strategic depth

 

History of edits:: 03.12.2017 23:50 • 129 visits readable

{Arbil: Euphrates News} president of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, said Massoud Barzani, on Sunday, “Baghdad represents a strategic depth.”

He said during his meeting with a political delegation from Baghdad : “We believe indialogue and mutual understanding, we will build a border Kan and not with blood and differences.”

He praised Barzani , head of the National Alliance and positions, stressing “Without the brother of Mr. Ammar al – Hakim of the Kurdistan Democratic Party withdrew all of Baghdad , ” .anthy

http://alforatnews.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=139869

Joint Operations: Daesh trying to convince the public the existence of violations Pfidyohat fabricated

Since 12/03/2017 18:00 (Baghdad time)

BAGHDAD – balances News

Joint Special Operations Command confirmed on Sunday that Daesh terrorist is trying to convince the public the existence of violations of the security forces in the liberated areas, Pfidyohat fabricated broadcast in excerpts of social networking.

A spokesman for the joint operations Brigadier General Yahya Messenger, in a statement received / balances News /, a copy of “Daesh It is supported by trying to convince the public the existence of violations of the security forces or the popular crowd in the liberated areas by spreading fabricated videos in social networking sites it produces groups terrorist or prejudiced views Obgdtha victories of the security forces. ”

The Messenger, “The Joint Special Operations Command monitor these videos and analyze and verify the correctness or not,” noting that “initial investigations show most of these videos depicting in unknown locations and are fabricating lies therein.”

He pointed out that “counterfeiting the facts vary by wearing people who show the uniforms of security forces and made to hide the faces of the actors landmarks process through photography and this shows that the places imaging is still in the darkness Daesh and will come out by the light of the victory soon,” .anthy 29 / S 5

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Coalition official: IS-held Mosul completely surrounded

 

Mar. 12, 2017 12:49 PM EDT

2 photos

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FILE – In this Tuesday, March 7, 2017, file photo soldiers take combat positions as Iraqi security… Read more

BAGHDAD (AP) — The remaining western Mosul neighborhoods held by the Islamic State group are now completely surrounded and IS has lost more than 60 percent of the territory the militants once held in Iraq, according to a senior coalition official.

“ISIS is trapped,” Brett McGurk, the special presidential envoy for the global coalition against IS, told reporters in Baghdad Sunday, using an alternative acronym for the Islamic State group. He told reporters the Iraqi army had taken control of the last road leading out of Mosul late Saturday night.

Iraqi forces are currently fighting IS in western Mosul after declaring the city’s east “fully liberated” in January. The operation to retake Mosul was launched in October more than two years after the extremists took control of Iraq’s second largest city.

“Mosul’s liberation is increasingly in sight albeit with increasingly difficult fighting ahead,” McGurk said, adding that Iraqi forces are retaking “some of the most difficult ground that we knew would have to be reclaimed. They’re doing this in a dense urban environment facing a suicidal enemy that’s using civilians as shields.”

Coalition air support has been pivotal to Iraq’s fight against IS, helping Iraqi forces slowly claw back territory throughout Iraq’s western Anbar province and up the Tigris River valley to Mosul. In addition to helping Iraqi forces retake territory, McGurk said the U.S.-led coalition has killed 180 IS leaders since the campaign against the militants began more than two years ago.

IS overran Mosul in the summer of 2014 and swept across large swaths of the country’s north and west. At the height of the group’s power in Iraq, IS controlled nearly a third of the country.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/f40c48f173024738a021e17e785029ec/coalition-official-held-mosul-completely-surrounded

Brett McGurk- Twitter

 

 

Brett McGurk‏Verified account @brett_mcgurk

 

Promising visit to Baghdad as Iraqi forces close in on #ISIS strongholds in #Mosul. Met PM, FM, DM, Speaker, praised heroism of Iraqi units.

Economy Commission in parliament hosts CBI director

 

BAGHDAD – The Journal News
Hosted economic and investment commission in Parliament Sunday, Governor of the Central Bank, on the Keywords, to discuss a number of economic issues.

She said the Commission, headed by MP, Ahmed Kanani, it hosted the Governor of the Central Bank in addition to the general manager in the bank, Mahmoud Ahmed, to discuss the stability of the dollar in the domestic market, and the winning difference between the buying and selling on the sale of central bank rate.

A member of the economic and investment commission in Parliament, Harith al-Harthy, for “the Journal News,” “The committee also discussed the reason for the central bank’s stock fell from the reserve balance, after it was 67 trillion dinars in what has become today’s up to 48 trillion dinars.”

He pointed out that “his committee demanded by hosting a visit sections of the Central Bank abruptly to follow up the work of the bank, said the” Keywords stood ready at any time to the Committee of Economy and Alastmthar parliamentary visit the central bank. “

And Al-Harthy said that “the Governor of the Central Bank supported by hosting the” Open amount of dollar exchange any quantity needed by the local market in order to control the balance of the market. “

Regarding the central bank reserve balance pointed Keywords that “the loss of the central bank’s 16 trillion from the reserve because the House of Representatives approval of the general budget.” He explained Keywords through hosting “The British loan offered to rebuild the infrastructure in areas that have been liberated from the organization Daesh terrorist.”

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People crowd announces liberalization of 80% in terms of Badush western Mosul

 

a wish

Since 12/03/2017 17:32 pm (Baghdad time)

BAGHDAD – balances News

It enables the popular crowd, Sunday, edited by 80% in terms of Badush west of Mosul.
He said the media war team, in a statement, received / balances News / copy of it, that ” the commander of the brigade formations Imam Ali combat cream Khaqani, announced the liberalization of 80% in terms of Badush west of Mosul.”
And it managed the popular crowd forces, today, from the village of Al – Sabeeh edit west right side of the connector. It ended 29/34 R.

http://www.mawazin.net/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B4%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B9%D8%A8%D9%8A-%D9%8A%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%86-%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B4-%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B5%D9%84

of the King of Jordan announces the agenda of the Arab summit, Iraq , led by ..

 

 

Twilight News

32 minutes ago

Twilight News / revealed Jordan ‘s King Abdullah II highlighted the themes that will focus on the Arab summit in the twenty – eighth session to be held in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , on 29 March / March.
Abdullah said that the central issues which will focus on the summit is thePalestinian issue, the Syrian crisis and the situation in Iraq and Libya, and the fight against extremism and terrorism.
King stressed during a meeting, Sunday, March 12 / March, in the palace ofHusseiniya, the Council of Arab and international relations , a delegation headed byMohammad Al – Saqer, on the necessity of activating the joint Arab action and unification of Arab ranks in this articular period, including Arab countries can meet the challenges, especially in light of what the world is witnessing a political variables.
With regard to the peace process, King said it was necessary to end the stalemate in the peace process and re – launch serious and effective negotiations to open political prospects for progress towards a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian – Israeli conflict on the basis of two – state solution as the only solution to end theconflict.
Also addressed the delegation to meet the king, crises experienced by some Arab countries, and ways to deal with them, as well as regional and international efforts in the war on terrorism, within a holistic strategy.

Keywords:

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