Sixteen IS militants killed, while troops comb tunnels in Mosul
Members of the Iraqi Federal Police forces stand inside an underground tunnel dug by Islamic State militants south of western Mosul’s Old City.
“Security troops launched an operation to blow up IS tunnels in regions of al-Midan, al-Shahwan, al-Dakka and Qulai’at, in center of the Old City of Mosul,” a security source said.
Troops, according to the source, found that militants were hiding at the tunnels so they can move between the districts. Sixteen of them were killed.
On July 10, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over IS militants who had held the second largest Iraqi city since 2014. More than 25000 militants were killed throughout the campaign, which started in October.
Since the city was declared free, security troops continue to comb western Mosul areas for hidden IS cells.
Despite declaring the victory over IS there in the city, observers say IS is believed to constitute a security threat even after the group’s defeat at its main havens across Iraqi provinces.
Having recaptured Hawija in Kirkuk, Mosul and Tal Afar in Nineveh and Annah town in Anbar, Iraqi troops still have only western Anbar’s towns of Rawa and Qaim remain under the militant’s control.