Iraqi forces take back at least 80% of east Mosul from Islamic State
Mosul — Iraqi forces have retaken at least 80% of east Mosul from the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, the spokesman of the special forces spearheading the campaign said on Wednesday. "I think you can say that we have retaken 80% to 85%" of the eastern side of Mosul, Sabah al-Noman, spokesman for the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS), said. Tens of thousands of troops launched a major offensive to retake Mosul, IS’s last major bastion in Iraq, and areas around it on October 17. The initial phase of the offensive saw a variety of forces retake significant swathes of land in little time, but the going has been tough inside the city itself. After a lull in operations, the CTS and other forces stepped up their co-ordination and, with increased air and advisory support from a US-led coalition, launched a fresh push just before the New Year. Over the past two weeks, Iraqi forces have overrun several districts and reached the Tigris River, which runs through the heart of the city, fo...
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