Monday, November 21, 2016

Mosul Campaign Day Thirty-Five, Nov 20, 2016


More news came out on the advances in Mosul from November 19. Moalimin, Bakr and Aden were declared freed for the second and third times respectively, while Muharabeen and Ulama were attacked.

On November 20 Akhaa, for the second time, and Khazir were liberated, while Bakr, Zahabiya, Qadisiyah, Tahrir and Wala were being swept for IEDs. There was still fighting going on in Intisar, which was first freed on November 1, and Aden that was called liberated the day before, and Qahira and Zuhur were also attacked. Almost all of the areas that the Iraqi forces (ISF) have entered remain contested. The Islamic State has been able to re-infiltrate areas again and again usually through the extensive tunnel system it built underneath the city.

In the southwest the Hashd was consolidating its position at the Tal Afar airport. A parliamentarian claimed that there was a deal between Iraq and Turkey, negotiated by the United States, to keep the Hashd out of Tal Afar itself. A spokesman for Turkish President Recep Erdogan called on Baghdad to abide by this agreement. The Hashd have talked about taking Tal Afar since it joined the operation, so it is unclear as of now whether such an Iraq-Turkey understanding exists or not.

SOURCES

Abdul-Zahra, Qassim and Rohan, Brian, "Iraqi troops face stiff resistance from IS in eastern Mosul," Associated Press, 11/19/16

Adel, Loaa, "Anti-Terrorism forces liberate Hayy Adan and Akhaa near Mosul," Iraqi News, 11/20/16

Bas News, "Iraqi Forces Retake Two More Neighborhoods East of Mosul," 11/17/16

Iraq Oil Report, "Inside Mosul: Nov. 1, 2016," 11/1/16

Mostafa, Mohamed, “MP unveils Baghdad-Ankara agreement limiting al-Hashed al-Shaabi combat role,” Iraqi News, 11/20/16

NINA, "A military source: Completing the liberation of Al-Baker and Aden neighborhoods, and storming the warriors area within the left-coast of the city of Mosul," 11/19/16

Rudaw, "Iraqi military reports progress on five fronts," 11/20/16
- "ISIS leader among militants killed in Mosul district," 11/20/16

Xinhua, "Iraqi forces free more districts in eastern Mosul," 11/4/16
- "Spotlight: IS commanders escape from Mosul amid Iraqi troop's offensive," 10/20/16

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