Gunmen abduct Iraqi official in Nimrud, east of Mosul
IS militants.
“Unknown gunmen attacked house of Nimrud neighborhood chief Khazaal Theyab al-Duleimi,” the source told Shafaaq News.
The kidnappers took Duleimi, along with two other officials from the neighborhood called Mohamed Ahmed al-Duleimi and Youness Ismail al-Duleimi to unknown destination, the source added.
Nimrud was declared to be fully liberated in November.
In October, Iraqi troops, backed by the U.S.-led coalition and the paramilitary troops, launched an offensive to free the eastern side of Mosul, declaring its liberation in January. Three months after launching another major offensive in February to liberate the western side of the city, Iraqi security command declared being in control of 89.5 percent of the western part, killing more than 16,000 IS members were killed since beginning of operations in Mosul.
On Sunday, a municipal official said the Iraqi government forces are in control over 97 percent of territories at the western side of Mosul.
Iraqi forces have been sweeping through northwestern neighborhoods over the past few weeks in a way to invade the strategic Old City, after finding it hard to invade from the south.
Iraqi generals had predicted liberating the city before end of this month.