Iraqi army attempts to take Christian town again

MOSUL, IRAQ – OCTOBER 20: Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government’s peshmerga forces take positions as they attack Daesh targets to capture surrounding villages from Daesh terrorists during the operation to retake Iraq’s Mosul from Daesh ( Feriq Fereç – Anadolu Agency )

Iraqi army troops attempted, for the second time, to capture the Christian town of Qaraqosh that has been under Daesh control since 2014 as part of US-backed operations to clear the way to Mosul, the militants’ last major urban stronghold in Iraq.

The advance took place as US Defence Secretary Ash Carter arrived on an unannounced visit to Baghdad to meet Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi and assess the campaign that started last Monday with air and ground support from the US-led coalition.

A military statement said Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) entered central Qaraqosh, a mainly Christian town about 20 kilometres southeast of Mosul, and were carrying out mop-up operations across the town.

However, Daesh’s Amaq news agency said that the militants had earlier managed to outflank advancing Iraqi troops in the Qaraqosh-Hamdaniya area, claiming that many ISF soldiers fled, leaving behind arms and armour.

Last week, ISF troops stormed Qaraqosh a few days into the Mosul offensive only to flee in the face of fierce Daesh counterattacks. Iraqi soldiers of the 9th Armoured Division withdrew from the town and besieged it, beginning a renewed offensive only today.

Further action was under way to seize a neighbouring Christian village, Karamlesh. The region’s population fled in the summer of 2014, when Daesh swept in.

Earlier this week, Iraqi special units also moved into Bartella, yet another Christian village just north of Qaraqosh. Daesh have been using a network of trenches, improvised minefields, earthen barriers and tunnels to slow down the Iraqi advance.

A US military official estimated there were fewer than a couple of hundred Daesh fighters in Qaraqosh. In comparison, there were several thousand Iraqi troops in the region.

“I’ve seen berms in Qaraqosh. I anticipate there’ll be trenches, there’ll be passageways between different buildings,” the official added, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, and many towns and villages in the surrounding area have been held by Daesh since 2014, when they sent 30,000 Iraqi soldiers and federal police units fleeing from Iraq’s second city.

Where is Mosul?

Mosul is the second biggest city in Iraq. It is located in the north of the country.

What is happening there?

Since June 2014 it has been under the control of Daesh.

What’s happening now?

Iraqi and Kurdish forces, backed by an international coalition which is led by the US, are battling to recapture the city from Daesh.

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