Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses. Share the link of this article with your facebook friends

 

Attack on Mosul Started With Intensive Coalition Air Strikes, Trapped Civilians Killed, Without Safe Passage Out of the City

October 18, 2016 

 

Editor's Note:

The US-led coalition which fights the Islamic State in northern Iraq consists of US-led NATO forces, Iraqi Shi'i government forces, Iranian-backed Shi'i militias, and Kurdish Peshmerga forces. The coalition's continuous attacks have resulted in the killing of thousands of Iraqi Sunni Muslim Arabs and the eviction of thousands as a result of the destruction of their cities and villages.

Millions of Iraqi Sunni Muslim Arabs are expected to leave their cities and villages as the fighting intensifies towards an all-attack by the US-led coalition on Mosul. The end outcome is going to be evicting (ethnic cleansing of) Sunni Muslim Arabs from the upper Euphrates region of northwestern Iraq and northeastern Syria. 

The following news stories from the official US and Iraqi websites do not mention any civilian casualties, as all reported deaths are claimed to be for ISIS members, who were killed in air strikes and bombardment on cities! Needless to say that independent sources are hard to find or report from. Thus, the following is a documentation of the death and destruction, as reported basically in such official website. Other independent reporting will be presented whenever available.

 

Photo captions about the coalition attack on Mosul can be seen by a right click, then "save the picture as."

 

The US-led coalition intensive air strikes kill civilians in Mosul, as reported by the Iraqi War crimes Documentation Center Mosul Civilians are not given a safe passage outside of Mosul Yaqein, October, 18, 2016   المركز العراقي يصدر تقريرا بعنوان"العدوان على المدنيين في الموصل..جريمة انسانية ومعركة انتقامية" تاريخ النشر : الثلاثاء | 18-10-2016 | 10:53 أصدر المركز العراقي لتوثيق جرائم الحرب ، تقريرا له بعنوان" العدوان على المدنيين في الموصل .. جريمة انسانية ومعركة انتقامية"،وجه فيه نداءا للمجتمع الإنساني والمنظمات الحقوقية الدولية،والدول العربية والإسلامية إلى التدخل الفوري لإيقاف القصف على مدينة الموصل، والضغط على الحكومة الحالية والتحالف الدولي لأجل اتخاذ وتطبيق تدابير تساهم في حماية المدنيين من القتل العمد بالقصف. وبين المركز في تقريره الذي تلقت وكالة يقين الاخبارية نسخة منه وجاء فيه "أعلن رئيس وزراء حكومة بغداد "حيدر العبادي" فجر  17 اكتوبر 2016م بدأ العمليات العسكرية لاستعادة السيطرة على مدينة الموصل من قبضة مسلحي "التنظيم"، وفي نفس اليوم أعلن قائد التحالف الدولي الجنرال (ستيفن تاونسند): (أن معركة الموصل قد تستمر أسابيع)؛ وأعرب نائب الأمين العام للأمم المتحدة للشؤون الانسانية (ستيفن اوبراين) في يوم 16 اكتوبر عن قلقه من تأثير العمليات العسكرية لتحرير الموصل على سلامة ما يصل إلى 1,5 مليون شخص يعيشون في الموصل، كما ناشدت المنظمات والهيئات الدولية شعوب وحكومات العالمين العربي والإسلامي بذل قصارى الجهد لدعم أهل مدينة الموصل ومنع وقوع الحرب فيها وحذر من أن يحل بالموصل ما صاب الفلوجة وحلب من دمار وخراب، وعلى الرغم من كل هذا انطلقت العمليات من أربعة محاور هي : (سد الموصل) و(الخازر) و(الحمدانية) و(القيارة)، بقصف كثيف مدفعي وصاروخي فضلا عن القصف الجوي لطائرات التحالف الدولي، والقصف العشوائي للميليشيات على المدينة". واشار المركز الى ان "المعارك بدأت بقصف جوي عنيف لطائرات التحالف الأمريكي والفرنسي على المناطق التالية: (برطلة)، و(الحمدانية)، و(أحياء الصناعة) و(الزراعة) و(الوحدة) و(البعث) و(القادسية)، وفي الوقت نفسه تدور معارك عنيفة في محيط قرى (باصخرة) و(بدنه) شرق الموصل، وهناك أنباء عن انزال جوي امريكي مشترك مع القوات الحكومية على معمل المشراق جنوب الموصل". واوضح المركز ،أن "ميليشيا الحشد الشعبي أعلنت المشاركة بمعركة الموصل بالقصف الصاروخي، وقد استخدمت لأول مرة القصف بالصواريخ الاهتزازية المحرمة دوليا؛ ومصدر هذه الصواريخ ايران التي أعلنت قبل فترة عن تزويدها العراق بأسلحة نوعية، وقد قصفت ميليشيا الحشد الشعبي المناطق التالية: (بادوش) و(برطلة) و(الحمدانية) و(الحود) و(الحضر). وقد نشرت ميليشيا بدر الارهابية أحد فصائل الحشد الشعبي التي يترأسها (هادي العامري) مقطع فيديو على حسابها في الفيس بوك ويظهر في المقطع عملية قصف مدينة الموصل بالصواريخ بالتزامن مع اطلاق عناصر المليشيات للشعارات الطائفية". واضاف المركز ،أن "(قيس الخزعلي) زعيم ميليشيا عصائب أهل الحق أحد فصائل ميليشيا الحشد الشعبي قال وفي تحريض طائفي علني في يوم 11 اكتوبر في ذكرى عاشوراء : (أن معركة تحرير الموصل ستكون انتقاما وثأرا من قتلة الحسين، لان هؤلاء احفاد من اولئك الاجداد). وهذه ليست المرة الأولى التي تستخدم الميليشيات في العراق البعد الطائفي في ما يسمى معارك تحرير المدن العراقية من قبضة مسلحي "التنظيم"، وقد اطلع العالم بأجمعه على التحريض الطائفي للمدعو (أوس الخفاجي) زعيم ميليشيا ابو الفضل العباس ،بالتزامن مع انطلاق المعارك ضد مدينة الفلوجة، وهناك معلومات مؤكدة عن دخول  ميليشيا سرايا عاشوراء إلى مدينة الموصل، مع العلم أن الحرس الثوري الايراني يشارك أيضا في معركة الموصل وهناك قاعدة للحرس الثوري الايراني بالقرب من حلبجة شمال العراق". واكد المركز بحسب "المعلومات لليوم الاول من المعركة 17 اكتوبر عن خسائر بين صفوف المدنيين البشرية وهناك صعوبة في نقل الجرحى بسبب صعوبة حركة سيارات الاسعاف، واطلق مستشفى الموصل نداءات بمكبرات الصوت عبر جامع الفتاح يدعوا المواطنين الى التبرع بالدم لإنقاذ حياة الجرحى وخاصة الأطفال، وخسائر مادية للمباني والمنشآءات بسبب انقطاع الاتصالات، والمعلومات الاولية تشير إلى مقتل 9 مدنيين بسبب قصف التحالف الدولي في حي (الزنجيلي) بالموصل بينهم 3 اطفال وامرأة واحدة. فضلا عن مقتل إمرأة مسنة مع ولدها وزوجته  فجرا". وبين المركز أن "الأمر الأهم  هو عدم إعلان حكومة بغداد عن أية ممرات آمنة لخروج المدنيين من الموصل، بل على العكس فإن الحكومة أطلقت الدعوات للمدنيين داخل الموصل بالبقاء داخل منازلهم، كما انه لا توجد أية معلومات عن الأوضاع الانسانية في القرى التي سيطرت عليها قوات البيشمركة، وتشير الاحصائيات إن آخر الاحصائيات تؤكد وجود 2,7 مليون مدني داخل الموصل، واشارت منسقة الشؤون الانسانية في الامم المتحدة ان لديها ستة مواقع فقط تستوعب (ستون الف) نازح اي لا يتجاوز الاستعداد سوى 6%، وهذا ما حذر منه المركز من عدم وجود نية من قبل الحكومة ولا المجتمع الدولي من حماية المدنيين الفارين من مناطق النزاع ووقوع كارثة انسانية كبيرة". وجدد المركز حديثه عن القوات المشاركة في معركة الموصل ،بأن "هذه القوات استخدمت مختلف أنواع الأسلحة الثقيلة بكثافة وعنف شديدين، ومن دون اية مراعاة لأرواح المدنيين الذين سوف يسقطون ضحايا للقصف، ولا مبدأ الضرورة العسكرية ولا مبدأ الانسانية في الحرب؛ بل على العكس هناك إصرار حكومي على بقاء المدنيين داخل مدينة الموصل، وشيء بديهي ان يسقط عدد كبير من القتلى والجرحى في صفوف المدنيين فضلا عن التدمير الكبير الذي قد يحدث في الممتلكات المادية داخل مدينة الموصل، وهذا الاجراء هو منتهى الاستهانة بأرواح المدنيين واستخفاف بأرواح العراقيين". واكد المركز ان "المدنيين في الموصل يتعرضون الآن إلى القتل العمد وإلى إبادة جماعية، بسبب وقوعهم في مناطق تتعرض للقصف الشديد دون أن تتوفر لهم ممرات آمنة يستطيعون الفرار منها والحفاظ على حياتهم، وتصّرف الحكومة العراقية وقوات التحالف الدولي ومن معهم من الميليشيات وإيران ينم عن وجود نوايا سيئة ضد سكان الموصل، وأن هناك خطة للقضاء على سكان الموصل ومدينة الموصل". وذكر المركز ،أن "قتل المدنيين عمدا وتدمير ممتلكاتهم والبنى التحتية أو تهجيرهم قسريا هو جريمة حرب تتحملها الحكومة العراقية والتحالف الدولي والمليشيات وإيران والأمم المتحدة، كما تتحمل المسؤولية الاخلاقية جامعة الدول العربية والمنظمات الاسلامية التي تشاهد ما يحدث للمدن العراقية دون أن تتحرك بصورة فاعلة". ومن هنا فإن المركز العراقي لتوثيق جرائم الحرب "يوجه النداء إلى المجتمع الإنساني والمنظمات الحقوقية الدولية، ويدعوا الدول العربية والإسلامية إلى التدخل الفوري لإيقاف القصف على مدينة الموصل، والضغط على الحكومة العراقية والتحالف الدولي لأجل اتخاذ وتطبيق تدابير تساهم في حماية المدنيين من القتل العمد بالقصف، فلم يعد مجرد القلق يجدي نفعا فقد طفح كيل الشعب العراقي لهذه التصريحات وبات يمضي من موت الى موت دون اي مرعاة لأية انسانية أو للحقوق، والأفعال التي تقوم بها الحكومة العراقية والتحالف الدولي وإيران كلها استخفاف بالإنسانية وبالقوانين والأعراف والاتفاقيات والمواثيق الدولية والديانات السماوية". يقين نت http://yaqein.net/AR/details5957.htm

 

For U.S. and Obama, Mosul campaign is calculated risk

By Warren Strobel, Yara Bayoumy and Jonathan Landay

Tue Oct 18, 2016 | 1:03am EDT

WASHINGTON

 Iraq and the United States have launched a crucial battle to liberate the city of Mosul without determining how its volatile region will be governed once Islamic State militants are ejected, U.S. and other officials said.

U.S. officials acknowledge gaps and risks in the plan for Mosul, amid worries that defeat of Islamic State in its de facto Iraqi capital could give way to sectarian score-settling and land grabs in the country's ethnically mixed north.

But they argue that the alternative -- waiting to first sort out Iraq's fractious sectarian politics -- is unrealistic. With Islamic State hurting militarily, now is the time to strike, they say.

Plans for administering Mosul itself, and aiding hundreds of thousands of civilians who could flee the fighting are in place, Western and Iraqi officials say.

But being left for later, they say, are fundamental issues likely to determine Iraq's future stability. Among them are bitterly contested territorial claims in the country's north, including the divided city of Kirkuk and the disputed borders of the Kurds' autonomous region.

In Mosul, it remains to be seen how power will be shared among the city's Sunni Arabs, Kurds, and minority Turkmen, Christians, Yazidis and others.

"Some of those big-picture governance, territorial issues, are going to be pushed down the road," a senior State Department official said.

Lukman Faily, Iraq's ambassador to Washington from 2013 until earlier this year, said that while military planning is advanced, "on the politics, we still need to get our house in better shape."

The United States has repeatedly found in recent years that the aftermath of war can prove more troublesome than the fighting itself.

It invaded Iraq in 2003 without a detailed post-war plan and with insufficient troops, contributing to the chaos that still engulfs the country more than 13 years later. In Afghanistan, the Taliban are making gains 15 years after U.S. and allied Afghan forces ousted them from Kabul.

Iraqi government forces, backed by air and ground support from the U.S.-led coalition, on Monday launched the initial stages of the offensive to retake Mosul. The assault has been in preparation since July.

Fighting is expected to take weeks, if not months, as government forces, Sunni tribal fighters and Kurdish Peshmerga first encircle the city of more than 1 million and then attempt to oust between 4,000 and 8,000 Islamic State militants.

"If we try to solve everything before Mosul, Daesh will never get out of Mosul. And this is really a war of momentum," Brett McGurk, U.S. President Barack Obama's counter-Islamic State envoy, told reporters this month. Daesh is a derogatory Arabic term for Islamic State.

At stake for Obama is his hoped-for legacy of seizing back as much territory as he can from the jihadists before he leaves office in January. The launch of the Mosul campaign comes three weeks before the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 8.

"There is a desire to make as much progress against Daesh as possible," said a Western diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity.

UNEASE

The decision to back Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's move on Mosul, which involves a force of more than 30,000 fighters, has support in key quarters of Obama's administration.

But some U.S. defense and intelligence officials question whether Iraq's rebuilt army is ready. And they say they worry that the aftermath of a messy battle could be a political nightmare as Sunnis, Kurds and Shiites each try to hold parts of the city they have helped liberate.

"In some circles around Washington, they want ... things completely in place before the military campaign starts," said an administration official, speaking before Abadi's announcement of the start of the offensive early on Monday.

"Taking Iraqis’ focus away from the military fight to resolve all the longstanding political fights will only achieve a loss of momentum against ISIL," the official said, using another acronym for the group.

Other spoilers are possible, officials acknowledge.

Turkey, which has longstanding cultural and historic ties to Mosul, says a force it has trained in northern Iraq is now participating in the fight. Powerful Shi'ite militias also want a role, raising fears of sectarian clashes in majority Sunni Mosul.

In weeks of intense regional diplomacy, senior U.S. envoys drove home the message that all forces must be under Abadi's command, the officials said. Whether the message sticks remains to be seen.

While bigger issues will be left for later, plans have been laid for governing and stabilizing Mosul in the near-term after the fighting subsides, the officials said.

The plan calls for the governor of Mosul's Nineveh province, Nawfal al-Agoub, to be restored and the city divided into sub-districts with local mayors for each. Agoub will govern along with a senior representative from Baghdad and from Erbil, capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region.

Screening procedures for civilians fleeing Mosul have been enhanced, in an effort to learn from the battle for Fallujah, in Anbar province. There, Sunni men and boys were held, tortured and in some cases killed by Shi'ite militia members, who had erected makeshift checkpoints.

U.S. and Iraqi officials are working to ensure displaced civilians take safe routes out of the city, and that checkpoints are overseen by provincial authorities and monitored by international non-government groups.

They are also hoping that Mosul's populace stay in their homes if possible, unlike in the cities of Tikrit, Fallujah and Ramadi, which virtually emptied out as they were being freed from Islamic State's grip.

The United Nations has said the Mosul battle could leave as many as 1 million people homeless.

"There's a chance, maybe a significant chance, that it's going to be fewer people than we expect, but of course it would be dangerous to assume that," the senior State Department official said.

The Western diplomat acknowledged that moving now against Islamic State's stronghold in Mosul involves a balancing act.

"There’s a certain amount where you can prepare as much as possible, but once you sort of hit the ground and things actually start happening, you actually have to be quite flexible and ready," the diplomat said.

(Additional reporting by John Walcott. Editing by Stuart Grudgings.) 

***

The following are news stories from a pro-Iraqi government website (http://www.iraqinews.com/) :

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Barzani announces cleansing 200 km in first phase of Mosul battle

By Amir Abdallah - Oct 17, 2016

(IraqiNews.com) Nineveh –

President of Kurdistan Region, Massoud Barzani, announced on Monday that security forces cleared 200 km in the first phase of the battle to liberate the city of Mosul thanks to close coordination between the army and the Kurdish Peshmerga forces.

Barzani said at a joint press conference with security advisers that was held in Khazar in the province of Nineveh, “The battles took place as planned; we are continuing to strike ISIS headquarters and strongholds,” indicating that, “200 kilometers were cleansed in the first phase of the battle to liberate Mosul.”

Barzani added, “We reassure the people of Mosul that the Iraqi forces and Kurdish Peshmerga are keen to liberate and protect their properties,” pointing out that, “There is close coordination between Iraqi army and Peshmerga forces, and the achieved results confirm that.”

The liberation battle of Mosul witnessed remarkable progress by the security forces in more than one battle front after being launched today by General Commander of the Armed Forces, Haider al-Abadi, who confirmed that the Iraqi Army and National Police would enter Mosul exclusively.

ISIS took over the city of Mosul in Nineveh province on the 10th of June 2014, before extending its terrorist activities to other areas in Iraq and committing many violations, genocides and crimes against humanity.

Mosul offensive: Iraqi army advances from eastern axis of Nineveh, 4 villages liberated

By Amir Abdallah - Oct 17, 2016

(IraqiNews.com) Nineveh –

Iraqi media outlets reported on Monday, that the Peshmerga forces managed to free another four villages in the axis of Khazar, north of Mosul, while emphasized that the Iraqi army started to advance from the eastern axis of Nineveh.

Al Mada Press stated, “Peshmerga forces launched their attack in the center of Khazer from three axes including Erbil-Mosul, Ain al-Safra Mountain and Wardak, where violent clashes took place between the Kurdish forces and ISIS militants.”

“Peshmerga forces were also able to liberate another four villages in Khazar axis including the villages of Badna al-Kobra, Khrabat al-Sultan,” Al Mada explained. “Iraqi army began to move from the eastern side of Nineveh toward its planned targets,” Al Mada added.

ISIS families flee Mosul amid intense aerial bombing

By Loaa Adel - Oct 17, 2016 .

(IraqiNews.com) Nineveh –

More than 43 targets belonging to ISIS and the group’s defenses in the Mosul Dam axis were destroyed by air strikes and artillery shelling in Nineveh causing the families of ISIS members to flee from the city, Al Sumaria reported on Monday.

Al Sumaria stated “Today, aircraft of Iraqi Air Force and the international coalition air force bombarded more than 43 targets belonging to ISIS in Nineveh, completely destroying its headquarters, barracks and weapons caches.”

“Members of the ISIS started to shave their beards and get rid of the Afghan uniform,” Al Sumaria added. “The defense lines of ISIS terrorist gangs collapsed in the axis of Mosul Dam after the security forces started the battle to liberate the city,” Al Sumaria explained.

Iraqi media outlets also revealed that the families of the ISIS members fled from the city of Mosul toward Nawran village, west of Bashiqa, due to the intense artillery shelling of the Iraqi army and Peshmerga forces on their headquarters.

Meanwhile, al-Hashd al-Shaabi militia started to remove sand berms from al-Shoura axis after destroying 16 military barracks belong to the ISIS.

***

***

The following are news stories from the US Department of Defense website (http://www.defense.gov/News) :

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Iraq, Syria Make Significant Strides Countering ISIL, Press Secretary Says

By Terri Moon Cronk DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2016 —

In Syria and Iraq, local ground forces backed by the U.S.-led coalition have made significant progress over the past two days in the fight to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters today.

Yesterday in northern Syria, Turkish-backed Syrian opposition forces, supported by the coalition, liberated six towns and villages from ISIL, including the town of Dabiq, Cook said.

“Freeing Dabiq over the weekend holds military and symbolic significance,” Cook said. “Dabiq was so important to ISIL’s propaganda machine that the terror group’s magazine was named after this town.”

ISIL conducted barbaric atrocities in Dabiq, and even claimed its final victory will take place there, the press secretary said. “Instead, its forces have been defeated in Dabiq, just as they have been in territory across Syria and in Iraq,” he said.

“We applaud the Turkish and Syrian opposition forces that took part in the battle to liberate the people of Dabiq from ISIL oppression,” Cook said, and referred to Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s statement yesterday in which the secretary said DoD particularly appreciates “the close coordination we’ve had with Turkey in this effort.”

ISF Ops for Mosul Begin

This morning in Iraq, Prime Minister [Haider] Abadi announced that Iraqi forces, with support of the counter-ISIL coalition, began operations to liberate Mosul at 6 a.m., Baghdad time, Cook said.

“This is a decisive moment in the counter-ISIL campaign,” he said. “It is in Mosul that ISIL’s leader chose to announce its so-called caliphate. Mosul is also, historically, a diverse, multi-ethnic, multi-sectarian city, precisely the opposite of ISIL’s hate-filled ideology. So, Mosul carries a great deal of symbolic importance in this fight as well.”

But more than a symbol, Mosul is also a city of more than a million people, Cook said, adding that in the two years since ISIL took control of the city, its terrorist members brutalized the city’s population, committing horrific atrocities.

“This is a fight to free hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis from ISIL’s rule,” he said.

‘Iraqis Firmly In Lead’

“This fight is taking place with Iraqis firmly in the lead, including thousands of Iraqi army personnel, counterterrorism forces, federal police [and] Kurdish peshmerga and Sunni tribal forces are also playing a critical role in this fight,” Cook said.

The Iraqi forces have the support of an international counter-ISIL coalition of 60 nations led by the United States to provide advice and assistance, logistical support, intelligence and precision airpower, he added.

Cook noted the coalition has conducted more than 54,000 training cycles for Iraqi forces, and executed more than 10,000 precision strikes in Iraq -- including more than 70 in the Mosul area just this month. The Iraqi forces will have the continued support of the coalition as they move forward, he noted.

“The role of U.S. and coalition forces will continue to be one of supporting the [Iraqis],” he said.

Mosul Liberation Could Take Time

“We are on the first day of what we assume will be a difficult campaign that could take some time,” Cook said, adding that early indications are that Iraqi forces have met their objectives so far, and they are ahead of schedule for this first day.

“This is going according to the Iraqi plan, but again, it’s early, and the enemy gets a vote here,” he said.

“We will see whether ISIL stands and fights,” the press secretary said. “We are confident no matter what, however, the Iraqis have the capabilities to get this job done, and we stand ready to support them along with the rest of the coalition.”

Cook added, “It is in our interest that they succeed, and we will do what we can to help them.”

***

Inherent Resolve Strikes Target ISIL in Syria, Iraq

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Oct. 17, 2016 —

Strikes in Syria

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted six strikes in Syria:

-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed six oil tanker trucks and an oil pump jack.

-- Near Raqqah, a strike destroyed two oil pump jacks.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes engaged four ISIL supply routes.

-- Near Manbij, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle.

-- Near Mara, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery conducted 11 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of the Iraqi government:

-- Near Kisik, a strike destroyed an ISIL artillery system and a tunnel.

-- Near Mosul, four strikes engaged three ISIL tactical units, two staging areas, 12 assembly areas and a bridge; destroyed six tunnel entrances, five supply caches, four repeater-tower generators, four mortar systems, a repeater tower, four repeater antennas, four solar panels, two artillery systems, two vehicles, two tunnels and an anti-air artillery system, A trench tunnel network was damaged and three mortar systems were suppressed.

-- Near Qayyarah, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL-held buildings and two mortar systems.

-- Near Rawah, two strikes engaged an ISIL vehicle-bomb factory and destroyed a vehicle and a vehicle bomb.

-- Near Sinjar, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit.

-- Near Tal Afar, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit, two staging areas and a headquarters building. A mortar system was destroyed and two mortar positions were suppressed.

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Iraqi Forces Begin Battle for Mosul

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2016 —

 Iraqi forces launched their counterattack yesterday to liberate Mosul from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, according to a statement released by Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials.

"The United States and the rest of the international coalition stand ready to support Iraqi security forces, peshmerga fighters and the people of Iraq in the difficult fight ahead," Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in a separate statement. "We are confident our Iraqi partners will prevail against our common enemy and free Mosul and the rest of Iraq from ISIL's hatred and brutality."

Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, OIR commander, said the operation to regain control of Mosul will likely continue for weeks and possibly longer. But it comes after more than two years of ISIL oppression in Mosul, "during which they committed horrible atrocities [and] brutalized the people" after declaring the city to be one of their twin capitals, the general said in the statement.

The coalition can't predict how long it will take for the Iraqi forces to retake the city, Townsend said, "but we know they will succeed -- just as they did in Beiji, in Ramadi, in Fallujah and, more recently in Qayyarah and Sharqat."

Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, is still home to more than a million people -- despite hundreds of thousands reportedly having fled the city since 2014 -- according to United Nations estimates.

Wide-Ranging, Precise Support

The OIR coalition will provide "air support, artillery, intelligence, advisors and forward air controllers," Townsend said in the statement, adding that the supporting forces "will continue to use precision to accurately attack the enemy and to minimize any impact on innocent civilians."

During the past two years of ISIL control in Mosul, OIR efforts have expanded to include a coalition of more than 60 countries, which have combined to conduct tens of thousands of precision strikes to support Iraqi operations, and trained and equipped more than 54,000 Iraqi forces, the general said.

"But to be clear, the thousands of ground combat forces who will liberate Mosul are all Iraqis," Townsend said in the statement.

Carter, in his statement, called it a "decisive moment" in the campaign. Townsend said it's not just a fight for the future of Iraq, but also "to ensure the security of all of our nations."

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