Saturday, May 13, 2017

Mosul Campaign Day 208 May 12 2017


The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) are making their final push to free west Mosul. The Harmat 2 and Islah al-Zirahi 1 neighborhoods were freed. The Islah al-Zirah 2 neighborhood was attacked, and there was still clashes going on in Iqtisadin and the Old City. Iraqi commanders are hoping that the battle for the city will be finished in a few days. It will probably be a few weeks, but the end is in sight.


The Hashd made the second part of their push towards the Syrian border. The goal was to take Qayrawan and Baaj. Four villages were seized, and two more were under assault. Baaj is where many Islamic State leaders were suspected to have fled when the Mosul campaign started.

Reuters talked with residents of Mosul about their living conditions. Many complained about receiving no salaries, services and a lack of food. Because most of the city has no water, many people have dug wells. The water is unsafe so people don’t use it for drinking, but boil it for washing and other needs. During the second week of May the United Nations and government repaired a water sanitation plant. 25 more have to be fixed. Officials have estimated that it could cost $35 billion to fix all the facilities in Ninewa province. Services are slowly recovering in Mosul. Several neighborhoods have been re-connected to the power grid as well. The problem is the time it has taken to get this work done. Bigger picture the government doesn’t have the plans nor the funds to rebuild the city or the province either.

SOURCES

Aboulenein, Ahmed, “Iraqis dig their own wells in battle-scarred Mosul,” Reuters, 5/12/17

AIN, "Urgent liberation of second Harmat district, Mosul," 5/12/17

Mostafa, Mohamed, “Army, PMUs kill 36 militants in fresh offensive on Nineveh-Syria borders,” Iraqi News, 5/12/17
- “Iraqi forces take over major IS haven in western Mosul, kill 2 senior leaders,” Iraqi News, 5/12/17

Rudaw, “Hashd al-Shaabi launch multi-front operation against ISIS west of Mosul,” 5/12/17

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, “UNHCR Mosul Emergency Response Since October 2016 (11 May 2017),” 5/11/17

Xinhua, "Iraqi forces gain ground from IS in western Mosul," 5/12/17
- “Iraqi paramilitary forces launch operation to free border areas with Syria,” 5/12/17


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