Iraq forces retake IS-held Mosul airport
Control of the airport and Ghazlani military base for the first time since 2014 is a step towards retaking the last remaining IS stronghold in Iraq
Mosul — Iraqi forces on Thursday entered Mosul airport on the southern edge of the jihadist stronghold for the first time since the Islamic State (IS) group overran the region in 2014. Backed by jets, gunships and drones, forces made their way across open areas south of Mosul and entered the airport compound, apparently meeting limited resistance but strafing the area for suspected snipers. Hisham Abdul Kadhem, a commander in the interior ministry’s Rapid Response units, confirmed the airport had been retaken. Little was left standing inside and what used to be the runway was littered with rubble. Most buildings were completely levelled but Iraqi forces celebrated the latest landmark in the four-month-old offensive to retake Mosul. While Iraqi forces were not yet deployed in the northern part of the sprawling airport compound and sappers cautiously scanned the site for explosive devices, IS appeared to offer limited resistance. The regional command said Counter-Terrorism Service for...
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