Iraqi forces, Peshmerga edge closer to Mosul

Iraqi Security Forces, Shia militias and allied Kurdish Peshmerga are advancing on three axes towards the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on the ninth day of the offensive to recapture the city from Daesh, with some areas held by the ISF mere kilometres away from the outskirts of Mosul.

ISF advanced along the south and southeast of Mosul, while Peshmerga units continued pressing from the north and east. Meanwhile, Shia militias belonging to the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) moved on the Turkmen town of Tel Afar, 70 kilometres west of Daesh’s last major urban Iraqi bastion.

Al Jazeera reported Iraqi security sources as saying that the Peshmerga managed to seize control of Keramlesh, that lies within the Christian-populated area of Qaraqosh, after besieging it for several days. Keramlesh is 20 kilometres from the outskirts of Mosul.

Peshmerga units also succeeded in taking Khorsabad, ten kilometres north of Daesh-held Mosul, as ISF units besieged nearby Tel Keyf for the fourth consecutive day. If Tel Keyf falls to Iraqi forces, it would mean that they would be only three kilometres from Mosul’s northern borders.

Meanwhile, troops from Iraq’s Counter Terrorism Service managed to advance further into outlying villages around the town of Bartella, also part of the Qaraqosh area. They claim that they are seven kilometres from the outskirts of Mosul.

Daesh claims battlefield successes

Amaq, Daesh’s news agency, released an infographic showing what it claimed were costs inflicted upon the ISF and its allies.

According to Amaq, the militants conducted 58 “martyrdom operations”, meaning suicide attacks, and killed 819 ISF and Peshmerga soldiers. Daesh also claimed the destruction of nine tanks, including three advanced US-made Abrams battle tanks, as well as damage to six others.

By way of verifying their claims to have taken out US-made tanks, Daesh released a video showing an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) strike on an M1 Abrams near Qayyarah, south of Mosul. The video shows the militants scoring a direct hit, with the inside of the tank erupting with flames in a fierce explosion.