Tensions in western Mosul as sniper kills son of IS-appointed governor
Islamic State’s militants. File photo
A local source told Alsumaria News that Ossama, the son of Abul Alaa al-Atri, was shot dead by a sniper near his residence. He said the incident infuriated the militants who blamed local fighters from the group for the killing.
Local sources had said earlier this month that divisions grew among IS fighters as the group’s supreme leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, had excluded Iraqi fighters from commanding the current battles with Iraqi government and popular forces, instead assigning foreign fighters to the lead.
In November, Al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) declared the recapture of Tal Afar airport from IS, and have been besieging the town since then preparing to storm the town’s center. The town has become isolated from IS strongholds in Syria as well as from Iraq.
Iraqi government forces are fighting in eastern Mosul, and have so far liberated 40 out of 56 districts. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Tuesday that the battle to retake Mosul could last for three extra months.
Nijm al-Jubouri, commander of the army’s operations in Mosul, said in statements on Wednesday that reinforcements have arrived to the city to resume the liberation of eastern Mosul districts, adding that progress have stalled over the past few days pending orders to move on and also due to bad weather conditions.