Federal Police free 260,000 civilians in Mosul’s Old City
Displaced families from Mosul
“The troops were able to free 260,000 civilians and 4,500 families held by IS in the Old City,” Lt. Gen. Shaker Jawdat, Federal Police chief, said in statements on Tuesday. “They were used by IS militants as human shields.”
Jawdat also indicated re-operating stations of water, electricity and wastewater. “The forces also contributed to opening of police stations, clinics and schools at the freed regions.”
The Old City is home to the Grand Nuri al-Kabir Mosque, at which Islamic State’s supreme leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi gave a famouns sermon in 2014 announcing the establishment of the group’s rule in Iraq and Syria.
Meanwhile, Nineveh Police Command declared liberating two Christian girls, who were held by IS in western Mosul.
Nineveh police chief, Brig. Gen. Wathiq al-Hamadani said in statements that the forces freed “two Christian girls who were held by IS in al-Tanak district in western Mosul.”
Earlier on the day, the army’s elite Counter-Terrorism Service entirely liberated the district, hours after the Joint Operations Command said on Monday it had taken over 70 percent of western Mosul.
An offensive was launched, by Iraqi troops backed by the allied international coalition led by U.S., in February to liberate western Mosul. The eastern side was freed in January after three months of fighting.