New Iraqi strategy to free the connector protecting civilians

2017/04/14


Iraqi forces complex new strategy relies on reducing the inroads and progress slowly in neighborhoods with using small arms to avoid civilian deaths.


Iraq-Iraqi forces, over the past few days, slightly on the West side of Mosul battles through three editing is Morocco and Yarmouk and Mills, with the region still harder, the old connector, under the control of the militant organization of ISIS, although it has been more than two weeks on fencing.

What happens, according to Parliamentary Deputy and military expert, is applying for "difficult and complicated new strategy" based on reducing airstrikes and advances slowly inside houses, and the use of light weapons, to avoid civilian deaths, destruction of infrastructure, especially in the wake of the massacre alive new connector, but ISIS succeeded in taking advantage of change through fighting strategy targeting forces sniper and rocket attacks.

Iraqi forces continues, the attribution of the international coalition, led by the United States, has been fighting since 19 February, to restore the Western side of Mosul, Ninawa Governorate, having completed, on 24 January, the restoration of the East side, in the process begun on October 17.Civilians and infrastructure.

A member of the security and Defense Committee in the Iraqi Parliament almtioni the new strategy adopted by the Iraqi forces, especially the fight against terrorism (elite), is the slow progress in reviving Downtown West side of the city, and fighting with small arms, to avoid casualties among civilians.

"The Iraqi forces have adopted this new strategy for progress in the West side neighborhoods of the city, after the deaths of civilians in Mosul district" West of the city, where approximately 1.5 million people, most of the year, out of more than 38 million.


Remains unclear killed dozens of civilians in their homes in this neighborhood, on March 17, where international coalition said it launched an air raid in the neighborhood, the same day the Iraqi Government's request, which was denied by Baghdad, accusing ISIS while bombing caused this "massacre".

Iraqi mp added that "Iraqi forces currently using light weapons, by infiltrating neighborhoods to protect civilians and infrastructure, new strategic objectives were achieved during the past few days."

Maybe almtioni to "battles of the Western side of Mosul may end within weeks, the slow progress is satisfactory, Iraqi forces will be able to resolve the battles on the West side during a period that does not exceed weeks."

And the Western side of the connector is smaller than the East side area, where 40% of the total area of the city, but the population density is greater, the United Nations estimated the number of its residents by about 800 thousand inhabitants, of whom 285 thousand, according to the international organization, last Tuesday.

ISIS sniperAccording to Khalil naimi, a retired colonel from the Iraqi army, "in an attempt to slow the advance of the attacking forces in the largest and last bastion in Iraq, ISIS uses several methods, most notably snipers and rocket attacks and suicide car bombs, especially after reducing the use of aerial bombing by Coalition aircraft and Iraqi aviation.

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He added that "over the past days, ISIS succeeded in taking advantage of the change in the battles of the Western side of Mosul, Federal Police axis stopped entirely, and axis Division 9 semi Army stopped, except the axis forces fighting terrorism, based on the street fighter of scraping, is difficult and complicated strategy."

"ISIS began to rely entirely on the battles on the snipers and missile bombardment of Iraqi troops gathering sites, the organization owns a few snipers aliens and destroy them, the new strategy that trimmed the aerial bombardment, takes longer."


And still more than two weeks ago, Iraqi forces have surrounded the old connector area, Central West side, comprising many neighborhoods high population density and its streets are narrow and complex military vehicles cannot enter, what makes soldiers exposed to sniper ISIS.


Attack on Tal Afar
Unlike the battles of the Western side of Mosul, is preparing to launch an attack widely popular crowd using various weapons, basing of Airforce to storm spend Tal Afar, 60 km west of Mosul, controlled by ISIS since June 2014.

Said Kamal Saadi, a leader in the popular crowd to "spend talver is quite different from the West side neighborhoods of Mosul, there are open spaces within the judiciary, the number of civilians in a few sites, organization of ISIS were identified, but at the same time expect fierce battles".

He said that "most of the factions of the popular crowd will take part in the battle of Tal Afar liberation, we have complete information about ISIS preparations in and around size within the judiciary, elements of the organization does not intend to withdraw from the crack, so it's going to be a tough battle."


Local and international reports on human rights that civilians in Mosul and its surroundings extremely bad humanitarian situations, due to the embargo in months, the scarcity of food, drinking water, as well as almost other basic services such as health and electricity.

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