Unidentified gunmen killed at least 11 people and wounded 8 others including soldiers in an attack on an Iraqi army post in western Baghdad, police sources and medics said on Monday.

The assailants in four vehicles attacked the post in the city`s Al-Radhwaniya district using grenades and automatic weapons, the sources said.

The army and police forces have started an operation in search of the attackers, police sources said.

Unidentified gunmen killed at least 11 people and wounded 8 others including soldiers in an attack on an Iraqi army post in western Baghdad, police sources and medics said on Monday.

Unidentified gunmen killed at least 11 people and wounded 8 others including soldiers in an attack on an Iraqi army post in western Baghdad, police sources and medics said on Monday. The assailants in four vehicles attacked the post in the city`s Al-Radhwaniya district using grenades and automatic weapons, the sources said. The army and police forces have started an operation in search of the attackers, police sources said.

Gunmen kill at least 11 in attack on Iraqi army post in Baghdad

After a strategic break meant to&nbsp;relieve troops after&nbsp;two months of intense&nbsp;urban guerrilla warfare, Iraqi forces launched a new wave of attacks to retake Mosul, the last stronghold&nbsp;and the de facto capital city of&nbsp;the Islamic State in Iraq.&nbsp;

The Iraqi army is now conducting a multi-axis advance, and according to the US Department of Defense two new fronts have been opened to increase pressure on the terrorists still fighting in the city.&nbsp;

Pentagon sources told CNN they have no reason to think that&nbsp;IS leader Abu Bakhr al-Baghdadi is dead.&nbsp;The reward for information leading to his capture is now at $25 million.

&nbsp;

Humanitarian challenges

The major challenge in the Mosul offensive is the presence of many civilians within the city. There are no official figures on the current situation, but before the offensive begun the population was believed to be close to one million.&nbsp;

When wars are fought in highly and densely populated cities, citizens are forcibly and heavily involved in the conflict: A&nbsp;mortar can fall on their house any moment, a flying bullet can hit them, a car bomb or a rudimentary explosive device can explode in front of them without notice. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that 3,125 civilians have been injured in Mosul since the army entered the city in early&nbsp;November. That&#39;s a rate of about&nbsp;approximately 50 persons per day.&nbsp;

As the Iraqi army advances, more and more citizens decide to&nbsp;leave their home. The new round of attacks caused an increase in the number of people fleeing with as many as 13,000&nbsp;running away in the first days. &nbsp;

Since&nbsp;the offensive started on October 17, the <a href="http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Situation%20Report_14_Mosul%20final.pdf">United Nation says</a>&nbsp;that as many as 125,569 civilians have abandoned their home. The majority of them&nbsp;now live&nbsp;in the many refugee camps in northern Iraq, where a severe winter hits hard. The region sees temperatures which easily drop below zero during the night.&nbsp;

Some Iraqis who fled war&nbsp;are slowly deciding to go back as soon as their neighbourhoods&nbsp;are declared safe. The OCHA says that as many 14,000 people have currently returned.

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&nbsp;

A fundamental part of the Mosul offensive is dictated&nbsp;by the five bridges that cross&nbsp;the Tigris river,&nbsp;connecting the eastern and the western parts of the city. The bridges are&nbsp;the only way terrorists have to move between the two sides and partially escape isolation. All major roads from and to the city are in fact cut off by troops, so&nbsp;the only possibility for them to fight is to move within Mosul and organise as many ambushes as possible. Between December 26&nbsp;and 27, at the request of the Iraqi army, US-led coalition forces disabled three bridges.&nbsp;

While this is militarily significant, it is also&nbsp;concerning for all those&nbsp;living&nbsp;in&nbsp;western Mosul, now suffering complete isolation. No humanitarian agency has access to the area.&nbsp;

OCHA reports that due to scarcity of food, prices are skyrocketing and many &quot;water boreholes in the eastern part of the city are drying up or turning brackish from overuse&quot;.&nbsp;

The Mosul humanitarian emergency adds a problem to a country already devastated by more than ten years of conflict, from the US-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein to the current fight against the Islamic State.

In 2016 alone,&nbsp;war has left 6,878 Iraqis dead, according to the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq.

That&#39;s nearly one life per hour.

While the Iraqi army is achieving moderate gains against IS, no matter how well they fight, destruction and death is inevitable.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(WION) 
&nbsp;

Some Iraqis who fled?are slowly deciding to go back to their neighbourhoods, but in 2016 war has left 6,878 Iraqis dead

After a strategic break meant to relieve troops after two months of intense urban guerrilla warfare, Iraqi forces launched a new wave of attacks to retake Mosul, the last stronghold and the de facto capital city of the Islamic State in Iraq. The Iraqi army is now conducting a multi-axis advance, and according to the US Department of Defense two new fronts have been opened to increase pressure on the terrorists still fighting in the city. Pentagon sources told CNN they have no reason to think that IS leader Abu Bakhr al-Baghdadi is dead. The reward for information leading to his capture is now at $25 million. Humanitarian challenges The major challenge in the Mosul offensive is the presence of many civilians within the city. There are no official figures on the current situation, but before the offensive begun the population was believed to be close to one million. When wars are fought in highly and densely populated cities, citizens are forcibly and heavily involved in the conflict: A mortar can fall on their house any moment, a flying bullet can hit them, a car bomb or a rudimentary explosive device can explode in front of them without notice. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that 3,125 civilians have been injured in Mosul since the army entered the city in early November. That's a rate of about approximately 50 persons per day. As the Iraqi army advances, more and more citizens decide to leave their home. The new round of attacks caused an increase in the number of people fleeing with as many as 13,000 running away in the first days. Since the offensive started on October 17, the United Nation says that as many as 125,569 civilians have abandoned their home. The majority of them now live in the many refugee camps in northern Iraq, where a severe winter hits hard. The region sees temperatures which easily drop below zero during the night. Some Iraqis who fled war are slowly deciding to go back as soon as their neighbourhoods are declared safe. The OCHA says that as many 14,000 people have currently returned. When wars are fought in highly and densely populated cities, citizens are forcibly and heavily involved in the conflict: A mortar can fall on their house any moment, a flying bullet can hit them, a car bomb or a rudimentary explosive device can explode in front of them without notice. × A fundamental part of the Mosul offensive is dictated by the five bridges that cross the Tigris river, connecting the eastern and the western parts of the city. The bridges are the only way terrorists have to move between the two sides and partially escape isolation. All major roads from and to the city are in fact cut off by troops, so the only possibility for them to fight is to move within Mosul and organise as many ambushes as possible. Between December 26 and 27, at the request of the Iraqi army, US-led coalition forces disabled three bridges. While this is militarily significant, it is also concerning for all those living in western Mosul, now suffering complete isolation. No humanitarian agency has access to the area. OCHA reports that due to scarcity of food, prices are skyrocketing and many "water boreholes in the eastern part of the city are drying up or turning brackish from overuse". The Mosul humanitarian emergency adds a problem to a country already devastated by more than ten years of conflict, from the US-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein to the current fight against the Islamic State. In 2016 alone, war has left 6,878 Iraqis dead, according to the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq. That's nearly one life per hour. While the Iraqi army is achieving moderate gains against IS, no matter how well they fight, destruction and death is inevitable. (WION)

Mosul's humanitarian crisis continues as Iraqi forces fight IS

Islamic State attacked an Iraqi police checkpoint near the southern city of Najaf on Sunday, killing seven policemen as government forces in the north made more gains against the militants in Mosul, their last major stronghold in the country.

The Najaf attack, which involved gunmen and a suicide car bomb, followed blasts a day earlier in Baghdad that left 29 people dead, a reminder of Islamic State&#39;s continued ability to operate away from territory under its control.

The recapture of Mosul would probably spell the end for the group&#39;s self-styled caliphate in it areas seised in 2014, but the militants would still be capable of fighting a guerrilla-style insurgency in Iraq, and plotting or inspiring attacks on the West.

Since the US-backed offensive began on October&nbsp;17, elite forces have retaken a quarter of Mosul in the biggest ground operation in Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said the group would be driven out of the country by April.

The second phase of the campaign launched on Thursday following weeks of deadlock has pushed Islamic State out of several more areas despite fierce resistance.

The fourth day of the renewed push saw incremental advances on the eastern and southeastern fronts.

A military statement said the counter-terrorism forces had retaken part of Karama district. A federal police officer said Iraqi forces had taken near total control of Intisar and Siha neighbourhoods, and were clearing Salam.

&quot;For the fourth day in a row, federal police units supported by the army are on the offensive,&quot; he told Reuters at a forward base in Intisar.

The attack near Najaf, 500 kilometres&nbsp;south of Mosul, happened when two vehicles travelling through the desert were stopped at a police checkpoint around al-Qadisiya town, local police sources said. The driver detonated an explosive load and the second vehicle fled. Police pursued it and killed the two militants inside.

In a statement distributed online by supporters, Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, which also wounded 17 people including civilians. It said four gunmen had opened fire before detonating explosive vests and then a fifth assailant launched a suicide car bomb. It was not immediately possible to reconcile those accounts.

&nbsp;

Fleeing Civilians

Although the militants are vastly outnumbered in Mosul, they have embedded themselves among residents, hindering Iraqi forces who are trying to avoid civilian casualties. Despite food and water shortages, most civilians have stayed in their homes rather than fleeing as had been expected.

Thousands more people have fled their homes since the military&#39;s new push began, many under the cover of darkness to avoid detection by Islamic State. Families leaving Mithaq district on Sunday had to climb over earthen berms the military has built across roads to block car bombs.

One resident reached by phone in eastern Mosul said he had never seen such heavy bombardment. Several civilians were wounded when a mortar fell in his street, but they could not be ferried to the hospital on the western side of the city because air strikes have taken all the bridges out of service.

&quot;One of them is my friend. His stomach is bleeding badly. We found a doctor in the neighbourhood to treat him but I fear he will die if he stays like this for long,&quot; he said.

A resident of Karama district said Islamic State had begun forcing residents out of some areas, burning the cars of residents who refused to move. &quot;They want to clear out the neighbourhood before the Iraqi forces enter,&quot; he said.

(Reuters)

The attack came in the southern city of Najaf, as government forces make gains against IS in Mosul, the group's last stronghold in Iraq

Islamic State attacked an Iraqi police checkpoint near the southern city of Najaf on Sunday, killing seven policemen as government forces in the north made more gains against the militants in Mosul, their last major stronghold in the country. The Najaf attack, which involved gunmen and a suicide car bomb, followed blasts a day earlier in Baghdad that left 29 people dead, a reminder of Islamic State's continued ability to operate away from territory under its control. The recapture of Mosul would probably spell the end for the group's self-styled caliphate in it areas seised in 2014, but the militants would still be capable of fighting a guerrilla-style insurgency in Iraq, and plotting or inspiring attacks on the West. Since the US-backed offensive began on October 17, elite forces have retaken a quarter of Mosul in the biggest ground operation in Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said the group would be driven out of the country by April. The second phase of the campaign launched on Thursday following weeks of deadlock has pushed Islamic State out of several more areas despite fierce resistance. The fourth day of the renewed push saw incremental advances on the eastern and southeastern fronts. A military statement said the counter-terrorism forces had retaken part of Karama district. A federal police officer said Iraqi forces had taken near total control of Intisar and Siha neighbourhoods, and were clearing Salam. "For the fourth day in a row, federal police units supported by the army are on the offensive," he told Reuters at a forward base in Intisar. The attack near Najaf, 500 kilometres south of Mosul, happened when two vehicles travelling through the desert were stopped at a police checkpoint around al-Qadisiya town, local police sources said. The driver detonated an explosive load and the second vehicle fled. Police pursued it and killed the two militants inside. In a statement distributed online by supporters, Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, which also wounded 17 people including civilians. It said four gunmen had opened fire before detonating explosive vests and then a fifth assailant launched a suicide car bomb. It was not immediately possible to reconcile those accounts. Fleeing Civilians Although the militants are vastly outnumbered in Mosul, they have embedded themselves among residents, hindering Iraqi forces who are trying to avoid civilian casualties. Despite food and water shortages, most civilians have stayed in their homes rather than fleeing as had been expected. Thousands more people have fled their homes since the military's new push began, many under the cover of darkness to avoid detection by Islamic State. Families leaving Mithaq district on Sunday had to climb over earthen berms the military has built across roads to block car bombs. One resident reached by phone in eastern Mosul said he had never seen such heavy bombardment. Several civilians were wounded when a mortar fell in his street, but they could not be ferried to the hospital on the western side of the city because air strikes have taken all the bridges out of service. "One of them is my friend. His stomach is bleeding badly. We found a doctor in the neighbourhood to treat him but I fear he will die if he stays like this for long," he said. A resident of Karama district said Islamic State had begun forcing residents out of some areas, burning the cars of residents who refused to move. "They want to clear out the neighbourhood before the Iraqi forces enter," he said. (Reuters)

Islamic State attacks Iraqi police; 7 dead, 17 wounded

Iraqi army Lieutenant General Abdul Ameer Rasheed Yarallah stated on a local channel that his troops reached Salam Hospital, located in a south-east neighbourhood of Mosul, the last stronghold of the Islamic State in Iraq. 
&nbsp; 
The hospital is approximately one kilometre away from the Tigris river, which flows through the city. If the Ninth Armoured Division of the Iraqi army will fully secure the area, it will be their most advanced post. &nbsp;

While informing that three car bombs exploded close to regular troops, the Islamic State&#39;s news agency confirmed the advance.&nbsp;

The vicinity to the river opens the possibility of attacking the southern-most of the five bridges connecting the eastern and the western part of Mosul. An eventual success will result in the direct control of a key access point to the western part of the city, currently under control of the remaining Islamic State fighters.&nbsp;

The other bridges have been targeted with airstrikes, mainly aimed at destroying the roads leading to them, but according to local witnesses IS&#39; bulldozer works to repair the damages. &quot;I saw Daesh (Islamic State) using bulldozers to fill the craters with sand and by mid-day, vehicles managed to cross the bridge normally. I drove my car to the other side of the bridge and saw also Daesh vehicles crossing,&quot; a taxi driver told Reuters.&nbsp;

Avoiding the total destruction of the five bridges is also in the anti-Islamic State coalition interest. In the light of further advances, reconquering them in an intact or semi-intact status will give the Iraqi army the possibility to immediately use them, without deploying and exposing troops for reconstruction works. &nbsp;

Despite the pace of the advance, the battle to reconquer Mosul is far from ending. There are no official figures, but it is estimated that nearly one million citizens are still in the city while the Iraqi forces are engaged in a house-to-house battle against an organisation which is willing to fight till the very end. Western Mosul appears also to be more densely populated than the eastern part.&nbsp;

There are no official figures about the number of Islamic State terrorists fighting in Mosul, but both coalition forces and the Iraqi army believe their enemy to be close to 3,000 fighters.&nbsp;

The Islamic State takes little care of the local population and an increasing number of civilians is being either deliberately targeted or forced to stay. Furthermore, the unconventional warfare that IS uses means it makes no distinction -- improvised explosive devices and car bombs can hit anyone.&nbsp;

On Thursday, &nbsp;Lieutenant General Abdul Ameer Rasheed Yarallah declared that during the 45 days of the Mosul offensive, the Islamic State used as many as 632 car bombs, an average of fourteen a day.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 
Brigadier General Scott Efflandt, a coalition deputy commander, seems to be optimistic. &quot;The quality of the enemy we are facing now has markedly declined from a month ago,&quot; he said. &quot;What they were saving for the west side of the river, they are now committing to the east.&quot;&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters) 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Troops reached Al Salam hospital, one km far from the Tigris river. They aim at conquering the southern-most bridge of Mosul, a key access point to the western part of the city

Iraqi army Lieutenant General Abdul Ameer Rasheed Yarallah stated on a local channel that his troops reached Salam Hospital, located in a south-east neighbourhood of Mosul, the last stronghold of the Islamic State in Iraq. The hospital is approximately one kilometre away from the Tigris river, which flows through the city. If the Ninth Armoured Division of the Iraqi army will fully secure the area, it will be their most advanced post. While informing that three car bombs exploded close to regular troops, the Islamic State's news agency confirmed the advance. The vicinity to the river opens the possibility of attacking the southern-most of the five bridges connecting the eastern and the western part of Mosul. An eventual success will result in the direct control of a key access point to the western part of the city, currently under control of the remaining Islamic State fighters. The other bridges have been targeted with airstrikes, mainly aimed at destroying the roads leading to them, but according to local witnesses IS' bulldozer works to repair the damages. "I saw Daesh (Islamic State) using bulldozers to fill the craters with sand and by mid-day, vehicles managed to cross the bridge normally. I drove my car to the other side of the bridge and saw also Daesh vehicles crossing," a taxi driver told Reuters. Avoiding the total destruction of the five bridges is also in the anti-Islamic State coalition interest. In the light of further advances, reconquering them in an intact or semi-intact status will give the Iraqi army the possibility to immediately use them, without deploying and exposing troops for reconstruction works. Despite the pace of the advance, the battle to reconquer Mosul is far from ending. There are no official figures, but it is estimated that nearly one million citizens are still in the city while the Iraqi forces are engaged in a house-to-house battle against an organisation which is willing to fight till the very end. Western Mosul appears also to be more densely populated than the eastern part. There are no official figures about the number of Islamic State terrorists fighting in Mosul, but both coalition forces and the Iraqi army believe their enemy to be close to 3,000 fighters. The Islamic State takes little care of the local population and an increasing number of civilians is being either deliberately targeted or forced to stay. Furthermore, the unconventional warfare that IS uses means it makes no distinction -- improvised explosive devices and car bombs can hit anyone. On Thursday, Lieutenant General Abdul Ameer Rasheed Yarallah declared that during the 45 days of the Mosul offensive, the Islamic State used as many as 632 car bombs, an average of fourteen a day. Brigadier General Scott Efflandt, a coalition deputy commander, seems to be optimistic. "The quality of the enemy we are facing now has markedly declined from a month ago," he said. "What they were saving for the west side of the river, they are now committing to the east." (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Iraqi army ready to push further within Mosul

&ldquo;There is a motorbike coming towards you, I repeat a motorbike is driving towards you. It&rsquo;s a suicide bomber. Shoot it down, I repeat shoot it down,&rdquo; says the walkie-talkie hanging to one of the field doctors&rsquo; belt in the small medical post on the Mosul frontline.&nbsp;

The motorbike is not directed against the post, but doctors are always connected with soldiers in action well inside the city to know in advance what they will need to face.

The small medical post is located in an abandoned house, inside the relatively safe neighbourhood of Al Samah, east of Mosul. It is the closest medical facility to the battle. All injured come here to receive primary treatment and then they get transferred to other hospitals. The worst cases are transferred to a hospital in Erbil, an hour-and-a-half drive from the city.

A handful of American and Iraqi doctors work relentlessly with their assistants to stabilise patients as quickly as possible.&nbsp;

The battle is very hard, it is a city at war and forces need to fight house by house and every door that they open could be the last of their lives.&nbsp;

&ldquo;We wake up at 6 am, have breakfast, and we may work until 2, 3 or 4 am. We give first aid like fluids to injured people&nbsp;to stabilise them. We support them psychologically and physically till we transfer them in the hospitals of Erbil,&rdquo; says military doctor Ghali.

Late in the afternoon, a group of wounded soldiers are rushed to the medical facility, they were ambushed while clearing an apartment. One of them, in charge of documenting the operation, showed us a footage of the moment. He has a superficial injury on his upper leg.

The video shows some 10&nbsp;soldiers crouched outside an apartment, one of them shouts to inquire if someone is in the house.&nbsp;&ldquo;Anyone inside? this is the Iraqi army.&rdquo;

&ldquo;Yes, we are inside. We are a family, don&rsquo;t shoot us,&rdquo; a feeble voice answers.&nbsp;

Soldiers look at each other, they nod. One of them opens slowly the door and a rain of bullets start hitting them from inside the house. It was not a family, it was a small team of Islamic State commando hiding there, and they managed to escape.

This is just one single event, but it is what happens every day. This is what it means fighting the war inside Mosul, the last stronghold of the Islamic State in Iraq, a city once home to 2.5 million citizens. The Iraqi army believes the city hosts between 5,000 and 7,000 IS terrorists ready to fight.

It is civilians who are paying the highest price of the war against the Islamic State though. Terrorists are using them as human shields in order to force the more-than-twelve-country coalition to avoid airstrikes and heavy artillery firing as much as possible.

&ldquo;The number (of injured civilians) is increasing because the Islamic State started to strike, bomb and shoot against civilians and we receive 50 to 120 cases a day,&rdquo; says military doctor Shail Juhat.

It means roughly 700 persons a week, if not more -- a number destined to increase the more the Iraqi forces dig deeper into the city.&nbsp;

The battle of Mosul hits mostly innocent people who did nothing to get to this point; children like Ahmed, who reaches the hospital in his father&rsquo;s arms. He was playing when a mortar fell a few metres close to him, injuring his right leg.&nbsp;

A young boy of about 10&nbsp;is brought in. He is severely injured with&nbsp;mortar shrapnels in his head, arm and legs. His elder brother, who brought&nbsp;him to the hospital, waited outside, cried and fainted. It took him forever to gather the courage to enter and assist his little brother.&nbsp;

Another man staggered in leaning on another&rsquo;s shoulders, covered in blood, obviously in pain. An improvised explosive device had triggered close to him.

A young lady in a long blue dress and glazed expression tried to get into ambulance where her husband lay&nbsp;injured. &ldquo;Where are we going?&rdquo; she asked, still in shock, gently grabbing the forearm of a soldier.

An Iraqi soldier who was in charge of documenting operations died.

Clearly, war does not spare anyone, it makes no distinction. There are no clever bombs, no intelligent bullets, no perfectly surgical strikes.

These positive -- and often lightly-used -- adjectives are only semantic shields, mostly used by belligerent actors to soften the reality of war on the ground. A reality made of anxiety, death, sweat, blood, tears, displacement and a liberal dose of pain. A violent and total element which abruptly breaks into a country&rsquo;s life, devastating its social fabric.&nbsp; 
 
(WION) 
&nbsp;

A small medical facility in the heart of Mosul receives roughly 700 wounded civilians in a week

“There is a motorbike coming towards you, I repeat a motorbike is driving towards you. It’s a suicide bomber. Shoot it down, I repeat shoot it down,” says the walkie-talkie hanging to one of the field doctors’ belt in the small medical post on the Mosul frontline. The motorbike is not directed against the post, but doctors are always connected with soldiers in action well inside the city to know in advance what they will need to face. The small medical post is located in an abandoned house, inside the relatively safe neighbourhood of Al Samah, east of Mosul. It is the closest medical facility to the battle. All injured come here to receive primary treatment and then they get transferred to other hospitals. The worst cases are transferred to a hospital in Erbil, an hour-and-a-half drive from the city. A handful of American and Iraqi doctors work relentlessly with their assistants to stabilise patients as quickly as possible. The battle is very hard, it is a city at war and forces need to fight house by house and every door that they open could be the last of their lives. “We wake up at 6 am, have breakfast, and we may work until 2, 3 or 4 am. We give first aid like fluids to injured people to stabilise them. We support them psychologically and physically till we transfer them in the hospitals of Erbil,” says military doctor Ghali. Late in the afternoon, a group of wounded soldiers are rushed to the medical facility, they were ambushed while clearing an apartment. One of them, in charge of documenting the operation, showed us a footage of the moment. He has a superficial injury on his upper leg. The video shows some 10 soldiers crouched outside an apartment, one of them shouts to inquire if someone is in the house. “Anyone inside? this is the Iraqi army.” “Yes, we are inside. We are a family, don’t shoot us,” a feeble voice answers. Soldiers look at each other, they nod. One of them opens slowly the door and a rain of bullets start hitting them from inside the house. It was not a family, it was a small team of Islamic State commando hiding there, and they managed to escape. This is just one single event, but it is what happens every day. This is what it means fighting the war inside Mosul, the last stronghold of the Islamic State in Iraq, a city once home to 2.5 million citizens. The Iraqi army believes the city hosts between 5,000 and 7,000 IS terrorists ready to fight. It is civilians who are paying the highest price of the war against the Islamic State though. Terrorists are using them as human shields in order to force the more-than-twelve-country coalition to avoid airstrikes and heavy artillery firing as much as possible. “The number (of injured civilians) is increasing because the Islamic State started to strike, bomb and shoot against civilians and we receive 50 to 120 cases a day,” says military doctor Shail Juhat. It means roughly 700 persons a week, if not more -- a number destined to increase the more the Iraqi forces dig deeper into the city. The battle of Mosul hits mostly innocent people who did nothing to get to this point; children like Ahmed, who reaches the hospital in his father’s arms. He was playing when a mortar fell a few metres close to him, injuring his right leg. A young boy of about 10 is brought in. He is severely injured with mortar shrapnels in his head, arm and legs. His elder brother, who brought him to the hospital, waited outside, cried and fainted. It took him forever to gather the courage to enter and assist his little brother. Another man staggered in leaning on another’s shoulders, covered in blood, obviously in pain. An improvised explosive device had triggered close to him. A young lady in a long blue dress and glazed expression tried to get into ambulance where her husband lay injured. “Where are we going?” she asked, still in shock, gently grabbing the forearm of a soldier. An Iraqi soldier who was in charge of documenting operations died. Clearly, war does not spare anyone, it makes no distinction. There are no clever bombs, no intelligent bullets, no perfectly surgical strikes. These positive -- and often lightly-used -- adjectives are only semantic shields, mostly used by belligerent actors to soften the reality of war on the ground. A reality made of anxiety, death, sweat, blood, tears, displacement and a liberal dose of pain. A violent and total element which abruptly breaks into a country’s life, devastating its social fabric. (WION)

Inside Mosul, civilians bear the brunt of war between Iraqi army, IS

With the Iraqi Army&#39;s latest phase in the Mosul offensive to reconquer the last stronghold of the Islamic State (IS)&nbsp;in Iraq, the Counter Terrorism Forces (CTF) and the 9th armoured division of the Iraqi army claim to have liberated six neighbourhoods on the southeastern edge of the city.

Small lanes and tall buildings define Mosul, making it an ideal scenario for the kind of resistance the Islamic State puts on: snipers, urban guerrilla, car bombs and ambushes.

Iraqi forces are involved every day in heavy fighting&nbsp;against the IS that does not seem close to surrendering.

The latest attack by the forces is made up of daily raids from the Iraqi Army&#39;s advanced posts within the city borders.

They leave their temporary bases, enter the city, try to advance as far as possible and then return to base. The objective is to gain territory every day in order to move their temporary bases forward inside the cities. The army thus needs to fully secure every area it conquers, an action which can take days even for a few hundred metres. It is an intermittent advance.

The presence of many civilians contributes to the slow pace of advance: engaging in heavy fights in heavily populated areas involves the risk killing of many people who are not fighting any war.

For the Iraqi army, reconquering Mosul is also a matter of restoring a reputation they lost in 2014 when 30,000 Iraqi soldiers withdrew and the 1,000 militant-strong IS took control of the city, its international airport and all the military and civil facilities in a week.

Lieutenant-General Raed Shakir Jawdat declared on Saturday that Iraqi forces took control of Hammam al-Alil, a town located 15 km south of Mosul which prior to IS control was home to approximately 65,000 people.

Regarding the operation, Major-General Najm al-Jabouri informed the media that some 70 terrorists were posted in the town.

&quot;Our elite forces have reached an area just 4 km (a little more than 2 miles) from Mosul airport,&quot; he told Al-Hurra television channel. The general said his forces had destroyed 17 bomb-laden cars meant to target the troops while advancing.

The Islamic State has been using civilians as human shields, a strategy which already used in many other battles. When troops start advancing within their territory, IS militants force civilians to follow them to other areas they still control in order to avoid direct attacks during their movements.

The United Nations said that the militants transported 1,600 abducted civilians from Hammam al-Alil to the town of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, earlier this week and took another 150 families from the town to Mosul the next day. UN human rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said that IS terrorists force people to handover their children, especially young boys over nine years who could be used in the future as child soldiers.

Civilians, whenever possible, are now leaving their homes as soon as the Iraqi regular forces advance and travel towards the refugee camps that NGOs have set up for months in preparation to what could be a massive exodus. There are no certain figures, but according to William Lacy Swing, head of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), after a week of fighting in Mosul, 31,000 persons left their homes.

(WION)

Iraqi forces have recaptured six areas of the city but their task is getting increasingly difficult as they march deeper into the city

With the Iraqi Army's latest phase in the Mosul offensive to reconquer the last stronghold of the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq, the Counter Terrorism Forces (CTF) and the 9th armoured division of the Iraqi army claim to have liberated six neighbourhoods on the southeastern edge of the city. Small lanes and tall buildings define Mosul, making it an ideal scenario for the kind of resistance the Islamic State puts on: snipers, urban guerrilla, car bombs and ambushes. Iraqi forces are involved every day in heavy fighting against the IS that does not seem close to surrendering. The latest attack by the forces is made up of daily raids from the Iraqi Army's advanced posts within the city borders. They leave their temporary bases, enter the city, try to advance as far as possible and then return to base. The objective is to gain territory every day in order to move their temporary bases forward inside the cities. The army thus needs to fully secure every area it conquers, an action which can take days even for a few hundred metres. It is an intermittent advance. The presence of many civilians contributes to the slow pace of advance: engaging in heavy fights in heavily populated areas involves the risk killing of many people who are not fighting any war. For the Iraqi army, reconquering Mosul is also a matter of restoring a reputation they lost in 2014 when 30,000 Iraqi soldiers withdrew and the 1,000 militant-strong IS took control of the city, its international airport and all the military and civil facilities in a week. Lieutenant-General Raed Shakir Jawdat declared on Saturday that Iraqi forces took control of Hammam al-Alil, a town located 15 km south of Mosul which prior to IS control was home to approximately 65,000 people. Regarding the operation, Major-General Najm al-Jabouri informed the media that some 70 terrorists were posted in the town. "Our elite forces have reached an area just 4 km (a little more than 2 miles) from Mosul airport," he told Al-Hurra television channel. The general said his forces had destroyed 17 bomb-laden cars meant to target the troops while advancing. The Islamic State has been using civilians as human shields, a strategy which already used in many other battles. When troops start advancing within their territory, IS militants force civilians to follow them to other areas they still control in order to avoid direct attacks during their movements. The United Nations said that the militants transported 1,600 abducted civilians from Hammam al-Alil to the town of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, earlier this week and took another 150 families from the town to Mosul the next day. UN human rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said that IS terrorists force people to handover their children, especially young boys over nine years who could be used in the future as child soldiers. Civilians, whenever possible, are now leaving their homes as soon as the Iraqi regular forces advance and travel towards the refugee camps that NGOs have set up for months in preparation to what could be a massive exodus. There are no certain figures, but according to William Lacy Swing, head of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), after a week of fighting in Mosul, 31,000 persons left their homes. (WION)

Battle for Mosul: Dense population, narrow lanes play into IS hands

As Iraqi regular forces approach&nbsp;Mosul&#39;s&nbsp;eastern suburbs, Islamic State&#39;s&nbsp;last stronghold&nbsp;in Iraq, they got some good news.

Fuad Hussein, the chief of staff to Kurdish president Masoud Barzani, declared that IS chief&nbsp;&ldquo;Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is there and, if he is killed, it will mean the collapse of the whole [IS] system&rdquo;.

The self-proclaimed caliph, the de facto leader of the sunni terrorist&nbsp;organisation, remained hidden for almost a year, but opted to remain in Mosul while other IS senior leaders decided to leave and reach&nbsp;Syria. Many important figures have been killed during the last offensives to retake important cities like Fallujah and Ramadi.&nbsp;

The importance of Mosul for the terrorist organisation is not only a matter of military control but also a fundamental part of the narrative of being a&nbsp;state --&nbsp;losing it will surely represent a major psychological blow for the many who decided to fight within IS ranks. It will be difficult to sustain the propaganda of a newly born and strong state if the organisation cannot manage to&nbsp;defend its Iraqi capital.&nbsp;

The battle to reconquer the city of Mosul is far from&nbsp;over, it&nbsp;has just entered a new phase which is likely to be the toughest, characterised by urban-guerrilla and unconventional warfare. Iraqi forces reached the eastern border of the city, but there are still many villages especially on the northern side, which need to be conquered and secured before stating that the Islamic State is definitely surrounded.

The Islamic State is also putting up&nbsp;fierce resistance against the first small advance of the Iraqi army. &ldquo;Daesh (IS) is fighting back and have set up concrete blast walls to block off the Karama neighbourhood and [stop] our troops&rsquo; advance,&rdquo; said Major General Sami al-Aridi of the Iraqi special forces.

Fuad Hussein said &ldquo;it is obvious that they will lose, but not how long this will take to happen&rdquo;, and stated that the Peshmerga, the Kurdish regional forces, were surprised when they found an&nbsp;extensive network of underground tunnels which the Islamic State created in&nbsp;the villages and the towns surrounding Mosul.In several areas of the city, the terrorist organisation enjoys the protection&nbsp;of a part of the local population which will prove to be important.&nbsp;

Major General Najim Al-Jubouri, commander in chief of the Nineveh operations, told me in an interview: &ldquo;The most important part of the Mosul offensive is the people. If we bring here the Chinese army, they will not be able to win if they do not enjoy the support of the people, and I believe that the bad relation between the security forces and the people played a central role in the rise of the Islamic State.&rdquo;

The presence of al-Baghdadi in Mosul could make things harder, for many of its loyalists will surely fight until the very end to protect the city. While the&nbsp;eventual death&nbsp;of the&nbsp;man who is perceived by&nbsp;many to be&nbsp;the father of the Islamic State could result in several organisational problems, but it is something which should not be taken for granted.

Other terrorist organisations proved&nbsp;capable of&nbsp;substituting&nbsp;their leaders and continued&nbsp;their operations, such as al Quaeda, which did not dissolve after Bin Laden&rsquo;s died. Al-Baghdadi&rsquo;s decision not to leave Mosul and eventually die&nbsp;fighting, should he in fact be killed, could also turn out to set an example for the many terrorists still supporting the organisation. It could&nbsp;become a powerful instrument of propaganda on how a real Islamic State member should not fear death and martyrdom.&nbsp;

(WION)

IS is putting up fierce resistance, and even their leader's death might inspire them to fight harder towards martyrdom

As Iraqi regular forces approach Mosul's eastern suburbs, Islamic State's last stronghold in Iraq, they got some good news. Fuad Hussein, the chief of staff to Kurdish president Masoud Barzani, declared that IS chief “Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is there and, if he is killed, it will mean the collapse of the whole [IS] system”. The self-proclaimed caliph, the de facto leader of the sunni terrorist organisation, remained hidden for almost a year, but opted to remain in Mosul while other IS senior leaders decided to leave and reach Syria. Many important figures have been killed during the last offensives to retake important cities like Fallujah and Ramadi. The importance of Mosul for the terrorist organisation is not only a matter of military control but also a fundamental part of the narrative of being a state -- losing it will surely represent a major psychological blow for the many who decided to fight within IS ranks. It will be difficult to sustain the propaganda of a newly born and strong state if the organisation cannot manage to defend its Iraqi capital. The battle to reconquer the city of Mosul is far from over, it has just entered a new phase which is likely to be the toughest, characterised by urban-guerrilla and unconventional warfare. Iraqi forces reached the eastern border of the city, but there are still many villages especially on the northern side, which need to be conquered and secured before stating that the Islamic State is definitely surrounded. The Islamic State is also putting up fierce resistance against the first small advance of the Iraqi army. “Daesh (IS) is fighting back and have set up concrete blast walls to block off the Karama neighbourhood and [stop] our troops’ advance,” said Major General Sami al-Aridi of the Iraqi special forces. Fuad Hussein said “it is obvious that they will lose, but not how long this will take to happen”, and stated that the Peshmerga, the Kurdish regional forces, were surprised when they found an extensive network of underground tunnels which the Islamic State created in the villages and the towns surrounding Mosul.In several areas of the city, the terrorist organisation enjoys the protection of a part of the local population which will prove to be important. Major General Najim Al-Jubouri, commander in chief of the Nineveh operations, told me in an interview: “The most important part of the Mosul offensive is the people. If we bring here the Chinese army, they will not be able to win if they do not enjoy the support of the people, and I believe that the bad relation between the security forces and the people played a central role in the rise of the Islamic State.” The presence of al-Baghdadi in Mosul could make things harder, for many of its loyalists will surely fight until the very end to protect the city. While the eventual death of the man who is perceived by many to be the father of the Islamic State could result in several organisational problems, but it is something which should not be taken for granted. Other terrorist organisations proved capable of substituting their leaders and continued their operations, such as al Quaeda, which did not dissolve after Bin Laden’s died. Al-Baghdadi’s decision not to leave Mosul and eventually die fighting, should he in fact be killed, could also turn out to set an example for the many terrorists still supporting the organisation. It could become a powerful instrument of propaganda on how a real Islamic State member should not fear death and martyrdom. (WION)

Islamic State facing trouble in Mosul, but not finished yet

US-backed Iraqi forces were set to enter Mosul Monday after two weeks of fighting Islamic State militants on the outskirts of the city.&nbsp;

Lieutenant Colonel Muntadhar Salem said the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) had recaptured Bazwaya, one of two IS-held villages standing between Iraqi security forces and the eastern edges of Mosul.&nbsp;

&quot;Tonight, if everything is secured, we will be 700 metres from Mosul,&quot; Salem said.

Some 50,000 Iraqi soldiers, policemen, and Kurdish peshmerga are advancing on Mosul, backed up by US-backed coalition airstrikes.&nbsp;

International news agencies AFP and Reuters reported that fighting was underway in Karama district, which troops invaded on Monday.&nbsp;

Iran-led Shi&#39;ite fighters of the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) joined the battle two days ago but they will not be entering Mosul. Instead, they will head to Tal Afar in the west to cut off Islamic State&#39;s supply lines between Mosul and the Syrian border, AFP reported. &nbsp;

Colonel Mustafa al-Obeidi told AFP via radio, &quot;They&#39;re fleeing, the jihadists are fleeing into Mosul,&quot; as Iraqi forces approached Bazwaya.&nbsp;

CTS troops also entered Gogjali, the second village held by IS.&nbsp;

Senior CTS commander Abdelwahab al-Saadi told AFP the Iraqi troops were still 2.5 kilometres away from Mosul.&nbsp;

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the troops were closing off all escape routes.&nbsp;

&quot;God willing, we will chop off the snake&#39;s head, they have no escape, they either die or surrender,&quot; Reuters quoted him as saying.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Troops capture one of two Islamic State-held villages standing between them and the city, enter the other

US-backed Iraqi forces were set to enter Mosul Monday after two weeks of fighting Islamic State militants on the outskirts of the city. Lieutenant Colonel Muntadhar Salem said the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) had recaptured Bazwaya, one of two IS-held villages standing between Iraqi security forces and the eastern edges of Mosul. "Tonight, if everything is secured, we will be 700 metres from Mosul," Salem said. Some 50,000 Iraqi soldiers, policemen, and Kurdish peshmerga are advancing on Mosul, backed up by US-backed coalition airstrikes. International news agencies AFP and Reuters reported that fighting was underway in Karama district, which troops invaded on Monday. Iran-led Shi'ite fighters of the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) joined the battle two days ago but they will not be entering Mosul. Instead, they will head to Tal Afar in the west to cut off Islamic State's supply lines between Mosul and the Syrian border, AFP reported. Colonel Mustafa al-Obeidi told AFP via radio, "They're fleeing, the jihadists are fleeing into Mosul," as Iraqi forces approached Bazwaya. CTS troops also entered Gogjali, the second village held by IS. Senior CTS commander Abdelwahab al-Saadi told AFP the Iraqi troops were still 2.5 kilometres away from Mosul. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the troops were closing off all escape routes. "God willing, we will chop off the snake's head, they have no escape, they either die or surrender," Reuters quoted him as saying. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Mosul frontline: Iraqi forces set to enter city

Islamic State has crushed a rebellion plot in&nbsp;Mosul, led by one of the group&#39;s commanders who aimed to switch sides and help deliver the caliphate&#39;s Iraqi capital to government forces, residents and Iraqi security officials said.

&nbsp;

Islamic State (IS) executed 58 people suspected of taking part in the plot after it was uncovered last week. Residents, who spoke to Reuters from some of the few locations in the city that have phone service, said the plotters were killed by drowning and their bodies were buried in a mass grave in a wasteland on the outskirts of the city.

&nbsp;

Among them was a local aide of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who led the plotters, according to matching accounts given by five residents, by Hisham al-Hashimi, an expert on IS affairs that advises the government in Baghdad and by colonel Ahmed al-Taie, from&nbsp;Mosul&#39;s Nineveh province Operation Command&#39;s military intelligence.

&nbsp;

Reuters is not publishing the name of the plot leader to avoid increasing the safety risk for his family, nor the identities of those inside the city who spoke about the plot.

&nbsp;

The aim of the plotters was to undermine Islamic State&#39;s defence of&nbsp;Mosul&nbsp;in the upcoming fight, expected to be the biggest battle in Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion.

&nbsp;

Mosul&nbsp;is the last major stronghold of Islamic State in Iraq. With a pre-war population of around 2 million, it is at least five times the size of any other city Islamic State has controlled. Iraqi officials say a massive ground assault could begin this month, backed by US&nbsp;air power, Kurdish security forces and Shi&#39;ite and Sunni irregular units.

&nbsp;

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A successful offensive would effectively destroy the Iraqi half of the caliphate that the group declared when it swept through northern Iraq in 2014. But the United Nations says it could also create the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world, in a worst case scenario uprooting 1 million people.

Islamic State fighters are dug in to defend the city, and have a history of using civilians as human shields when defending territory.

&nbsp;

Signs of cracks&nbsp;

According to Hashimi, the dissidents were arrested after one of them was caught with a message on his phone mentioning a transfer of weapons. He confessed during interrogation that weapons were being hidden in three locations, to be used in a rebellion to support the Iraqi Army when it closes in on&nbsp;Mosul.

&nbsp;

IS raided the three houses used to hide the weapons on October&nbsp;4, Hashimi said.

&nbsp;

&ldquo;Those were Daesh members who turned against the group in&nbsp;Mosul,&quot; said Iraqi Counterterrorism Service spokesman Sabah al-Numani in Baghdad, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State. &quot;This is a clear sign that the terrorist organisation has started to lose support not only from the population, but even from its own members.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

A spokesman for the US-led military coalition which conducts air strikes on Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq was unable to confirm or deny the accounts of the thwarted plot.

&nbsp;

Signs of cracks inside the &quot;caliphate&quot; appeared this year as the ultra-hardline Sunni group was forced out of half the territory it overran two years ago in northern and western Iraq.

&nbsp;

Some people in&nbsp;Mosul&nbsp;have been expressing their refusal of the harsh rules of IS&nbsp;by spray-painting the letter M, for the Arabic word that means resistance, on city walls, or &quot;wanted&quot; on houses of its militants. Such activity is punished by death.

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&nbsp;

Numani said his service has succeeded in the past two months in opening contact channels with &ldquo;operatives&rdquo; who began communicating intelligence that helped conduct air strikes on the insurgents&#39; command centres and locations in&nbsp;Mosul.

&nbsp;

A list with the names of the 58 executed plotters was given to a hospital to inform their families but their bodies were not returned, the residents said.

&nbsp;

&ldquo;Some of the executed relatives sent old women to ask about the bodies. Daesh rebuked them and told them no bodies, no graves, those traitors are apostates and it is forbidden to bury them in Muslim cemeteries,&rdquo; said one resident whose relative was among those executed.

&nbsp;

&ldquo;After the failed coup, Daesh withdrew the special identity cards it issued for its local commanders, to prevent them from fleeing&nbsp;Mosul&nbsp;with their families,&rdquo; Colonel al-Taie said.

&nbsp;

A&nbsp;Mosul&nbsp;resident said Islamic State had appointed a new official, Muhsin Abdul Kareem Oghlu, a leader of a sniper unit with a reputation as a die-hard, to assist its governor of&nbsp;Mosul, Ahmed Khalaf Agab al-Jabouri, in keeping control.

&nbsp;

Islamic State militants have placed booby traps across the city of&nbsp;Mosul, dug tunnels and recruited children as spies in anticipation of the offensive.

&nbsp;

(Reuters)&nbsp;

Islamic State (IS) executed 58 people suspected of taking part in the plot after it was uncovered last week

Islamic State has crushed a rebellion plot in Mosul, led by one of the group's commanders who aimed to switch sides and help deliver the caliphate's Iraqi capital to government forces, residents and Iraqi security officials said. Islamic State (IS) executed 58 people suspected of taking part in the plot after it was uncovered last week. Residents, who spoke to Reuters from some of the few locations in the city that have phone service, said the plotters were killed by drowning and their bodies were buried in a mass grave in a wasteland on the outskirts of the city. Among them was a local aide of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who led the plotters, according to matching accounts given by five residents, by Hisham al-Hashimi, an expert on IS affairs that advises the government in Baghdad and by colonel Ahmed al-Taie, from Mosul's Nineveh province Operation Command's military intelligence. Reuters is not publishing the name of the plot leader to avoid increasing the safety risk for his family, nor the identities of those inside the city who spoke about the plot. The aim of the plotters was to undermine Islamic State's defence of Mosul in the upcoming fight, expected to be the biggest battle in Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion. Mosul is the last major stronghold of Islamic State in Iraq. With a pre-war population of around 2 million, it is at least five times the size of any other city Islamic State has controlled. Iraqi officials say a massive ground assault could begin this month, backed by US air power, Kurdish security forces and Shi'ite and Sunni irregular units. The aim of the plotters was to undermine Islamic State's defence of Mosul in the upcoming fight, expected to be the biggest battle in Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion. × A successful offensive would effectively destroy the Iraqi half of the caliphate that the group declared when it swept through northern Iraq in 2014. But the United Nations says it could also create the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world, in a worst case scenario uprooting 1 million people. Islamic State fighters are dug in to defend the city, and have a history of using civilians as human shields when defending territory. Signs of cracks According to Hashimi, the dissidents were arrested after one of them was caught with a message on his phone mentioning a transfer of weapons. He confessed during interrogation that weapons were being hidden in three locations, to be used in a rebellion to support the Iraqi Army when it closes in on Mosul. IS raided the three houses used to hide the weapons on October 4, Hashimi said. “Those were Daesh members who turned against the group in Mosul," said Iraqi Counterterrorism Service spokesman Sabah al-Numani in Baghdad, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State. "This is a clear sign that the terrorist organisation has started to lose support not only from the population, but even from its own members.” A spokesman for the US-led military coalition which conducts air strikes on Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq was unable to confirm or deny the accounts of the thwarted plot. Signs of cracks inside the "caliphate" appeared this year as the ultra-hardline Sunni group was forced out of half the territory it overran two years ago in northern and western Iraq. Some people in Mosul have been expressing their refusal of the harsh rules of IS by spray-painting the letter M, for the Arabic word that means resistance, on city walls, or "wanted" on houses of its militants. Such activity is punished by death. Signs of cracks inside the "caliphate" appeared this year as the ultra-hardline Sunni group was forced out of half the territory it overran two years ago in northern and western Iraq. × Numani said his service has succeeded in the past two months in opening contact channels with “operatives” who began communicating intelligence that helped conduct air strikes on the insurgents' command centres and locations in Mosul. A list with the names of the 58 executed plotters was given to a hospital to inform their families but their bodies were not returned, the residents said. “Some of the executed relatives sent old women to ask about the bodies. Daesh rebuked them and told them no bodies, no graves, those traitors are apostates and it is forbidden to bury them in Muslim cemeteries,” said one resident whose relative was among those executed. “After the failed coup, Daesh withdrew the special identity cards it issued for its local commanders, to prevent them from fleeing Mosul with their families,” Colonel al-Taie said. A Mosul resident said Islamic State had appointed a new official, Muhsin Abdul Kareem Oghlu, a leader of a sniper unit with a reputation as a die-hard, to assist its governor of Mosul, Ahmed Khalaf Agab al-Jabouri, in keeping control. Islamic State militants have placed booby traps across the city of Mosul, dug tunnels and recruited children as spies in anticipation of the offensive. (Reuters)

As Iraqi Army closes in, Islamic State foils rebel plot in Mosul

While travelling to Qayyarah, a two-hour-drive from Mosul, WION had the chance to interview Iraqi Army Major General Najim al-Jabouri soon after he met Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Baghdad. He is the commander of the Nineveh Operations, an offensive that aims to liberate south of Mosul. He is in-charge of the Mosul offensive and currently leads approximately 25,000 men.

WION: How are you preparing for the Mosul operation? 

General al-Jabouri: Our troops are ready to attack Islamic State in Mosul and retake the city. The coalition forces gave us good training, equipped us with modern equipment. We are just waiting for the prime minister&nbsp;to give us the order to attack. We are confident about the battle since we have liberated many cities, important cities in Nineveh (governorate), including Qayyara a few weeks ago. Right now, we are now coordinating with the Peshmerga (Kurdish military forces). Some brigades have already moved to the station areas near Mosul.

WION: How long will the battle last? And do you expect a large presence of IS&nbsp;fighters?

al-Jabouri:&nbsp;I think&nbsp;IS&nbsp;is not as strong as it was two months ago or six months ago. They have lost many good fighters. Many of them were killed, many of them got injured and many of them escaped.

IS is different from Al Qaeda. Al Qaeda believed in a cause but the majority of IS jihadists are like the mafia &mdash;&nbsp;they look for money, they look for women, they look for power.

A few months ago when we began the battle in Qayyarah, we faced strong fighters. The foreigners were especially strong. But the group has weakened. Now, we hardly lose our men even during intense gunfights. The last battle in Qayyarah, four or five days ago, we killed 66 people of theirs and lost not even a single one of ours. Also, we hardly face any foreign fighters anymore.

The local fighters are not that good because they are only interested in earning money. Such attitude is destroying the moral of IS.

The loss in Qayyarah was also financially damaging for IS. They are losing $1 million every day since they lost out in Qayyarah. When they were here, they stole oil and sold about a hundred trucks of it every day.

WION: How important will local support be&nbsp;in your battle for Mosul? 

al-Jabouri:&nbsp;Their (residents of Mosul) support&nbsp;is very vital. Even the strongest security force&nbsp;will be unable to defeat IS if they don&#39;t get support from the locals.

If the locals did not give IS a safe haven, it would have been impossible for them to grow in strength.

In my view, people were unhappy with the security forces in Iraq. This was one of the main reasons for IS to thrive in the area. We worked very hard to change this relationship, we built many bridges between us and the people. You are free to go&nbsp;to Qayyarah and to other villages and ask the people about us. Now, locals support us whenever we fight the IS. This will build the future of this area and Iraq.

WION: Will Shia militia organisation Hal Al-Hashd Al-Sha&#39;abi have any role during the Mosul Operation?

al-Jabouri:&nbsp;Maybe we will need their support. Only the commander-in-chief (the Iraqi prime minister) can decide on such matters. But they will not enter the city if we need them. They will have to go to the desert to cut off IS&#39; supplies. But the battle will be mainly fought by the Iraqi army, the Iraqi counter-terrorism forces and the police. The Peshmerga will help us as well.

WION: What do you make of Turkey&#39;s role? 

al-Jabouri:&nbsp;About the Turkish &hellip; I am a military commander, these are issues concerning the central (Iraqi) government and Turkey, but as an Iraqi &hellip; we don&rsquo;t need boots on the ground here. We don&#39;t even need the coalition forces. We depend on them for training, for advice&nbsp;and for launch air strikes on IS&nbsp;positions. If Turkey is part of the coalition forces, it works for me. If they do what the coalition forces&nbsp;say, I don&#39;t think there would be a problem. But we do not need anybody to act independently.

WION: Are you afraid that after Mosul, IS&nbsp;will launch suicide attacks across Iraq?

al-Jabouri:&nbsp;They do not have the capability to do such things.

WION: Do you plan to liberate Hawija before Mosul?

al-Jabouri:&nbsp;Hawija is not under my command, but I think the government is thinking about it. Mosul is the head of a snake, the last castle for the IS. But I think if we had retaken Mosul earlier, even before Ramani and before every other area, we would have wiped out Daesh (Islamic State) much earlier.&nbsp;

WION: So you think the strategy was wrong?

al-Jabouri:&nbsp;No, this is my view. I think the head of the snake is Mosul because it is a big city, it has good foundation, many factories and&nbsp;many resources. IS in Iraq and even in Syria rely on resources coming from Mosul.

WION: If IS&nbsp;fighters manage to escape Iraq and enter Syria, will the Iraqi army follow them and help Syrian forces fight them?&nbsp;

al-Jabouri:&nbsp;If my commander-in-chief gives me an order, I will follow them in Syria, in Nigeria, everywhere.&nbsp;

(WION)

Possibly the most important military person in West Asia, who is leading 25,000 men, spoke to WION about the fight against Islamic State

While travelling to Qayyarah, a two-hour-drive from Mosul, WION had the chance to interview Iraqi Army Major General Najim al-Jabouri soon after he met Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Baghdad. He is the commander of the Nineveh Operations, an offensive that aims to liberate south of Mosul. He is in-charge of the Mosul offensive and currently leads approximately 25,000 men. WION: How are you preparing for the Mosul operation? General al-Jabouri: Our troops are ready to attack Islamic State in Mosul and retake the city. The coalition forces gave us good training, equipped us with modern equipment. We are just waiting for the prime minister to give us the order to attack. We are confident about the battle since we have liberated many cities, important cities in Nineveh (governorate), including Qayyara a few weeks ago. Right now, we are now coordinating with the Peshmerga (Kurdish military forces). Some brigades have already moved to the station areas near Mosul. WION: How long will the battle last? And do you expect a large presence of IS fighters? al-Jabouri: I think IS is not as strong as it was two months ago or six months ago. They have lost many good fighters. Many of them were killed, many of them got injured and many of them escaped. IS is different from Al Qaeda. Al Qaeda believed in a cause but the majority of IS jihadists are like the mafia — they look for money, they look for women, they look for power. A few months ago when we began the battle in Qayyarah, we faced strong fighters. The foreigners were especially strong. But the group has weakened. Now, we hardly lose our men even during intense gunfights. The last battle in Qayyarah, four or five days ago, we killed 66 people of theirs and lost not even a single one of ours. Also, we hardly face any foreign fighters anymore. The local fighters are not that good because they are only interested in earning money. Such attitude is destroying the moral of IS. The loss in Qayyarah was also financially damaging for IS. They are losing $1 million every day since they lost out in Qayyarah. When they were here, they stole oil and sold about a hundred trucks of it every day. WION: How important will local support be in your battle for Mosul? al-Jabouri: Their (residents of Mosul) support is very vital. Even the strongest security force will be unable to defeat IS if they don't get support from the locals. If the locals did not give IS a safe haven, it would have been impossible for them to grow in strength. In my view, people were unhappy with the security forces in Iraq. This was one of the main reasons for IS to thrive in the area. We worked very hard to change this relationship, we built many bridges between us and the people. You are free to go to Qayyarah and to other villages and ask the people about us. Now, locals support us whenever we fight the IS. This will build the future of this area and Iraq. WION: Will Shia militia organisation Hal Al-Hashd Al-Sha'abi have any role during the Mosul Operation? al-Jabouri: Maybe we will need their support. Only the commander-in-chief (the Iraqi prime minister) can decide on such matters. But they will not enter the city if we need them. They will have to go to the desert to cut off IS' supplies. But the battle will be mainly fought by the Iraqi army, the Iraqi counter-terrorism forces and the police. The Peshmerga will help us as well. WION: What do you make of Turkey's role? al-Jabouri: About the Turkish … I am a military commander, these are issues concerning the central (Iraqi) government and Turkey, but as an Iraqi … we don’t need boots on the ground here. We don't even need the coalition forces. We depend on them for training, for advice and for launch air strikes on IS positions. If Turkey is part of the coalition forces, it works for me. If they do what the coalition forces say, I don't think there would be a problem. But we do not need anybody to act independently. WION: Are you afraid that after Mosul, IS will launch suicide attacks across Iraq? al-Jabouri: They do not have the capability to do such things. WION: Do you plan to liberate Hawija before Mosul? al-Jabouri: Hawija is not under my command, but I think the government is thinking about it. Mosul is the head of a snake, the last castle for the IS. But I think if we had retaken Mosul earlier, even before Ramani and before every other area, we would have wiped out Daesh (Islamic State) much earlier. WION: So you think the strategy was wrong? al-Jabouri: No, this is my view. I think the head of the snake is Mosul because it is a big city, it has good foundation, many factories and many resources. IS in Iraq and even in Syria rely on resources coming from Mosul. WION: If IS fighters manage to escape Iraq and enter Syria, will the Iraqi army follow them and help Syrian forces fight them? al-Jabouri: If my commander-in-chief gives me an order, I will follow them in Syria, in Nigeria, everywhere. (WION)

Iraqi army poised to retake 'Islamic State's last castle of Mosul', Major General Najim al-Jabouri tells WION

Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria, the two major cities controlled by the Islamic State, will be the twin epicentres of the most crucial battle&nbsp;against the terrorist organisation&#39;s hold in West Asia. While the attack against Raqqa is hostage to political games between Turkey and the United States (US), everything suggests that the attack against IS (Islamic State) in Mosul will happen before 2016-end. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
US secretary of defence Ashton Carter recently agreed to send another 600 special forces for training the Iraqi army before the attack on Mosul. The contingent will add to the 4,400 US troops already on Iraqi soil. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Last week&rsquo;s military operations near Mosul succeeded in depriving the IS&nbsp;of its last oil wells. Iraqi oil minister Jabbar-al-Luaibi declared on Wednesday that the terrorist organisation no longer controlled any oil well in the country.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
This is just the latest blow against the IS in Northern Iraq. A month ago IS lost the Qayyara oilfield to the Iraqi forces who are since then preparing to march northward. This is apart from the several villages that were liberated. In December 2015, IS lost the city of Sinjar to the Kurdish Peshmerga army and Yazidi fighters.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
What Mosul&#39;s capture meant&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Mosul fell to IS in 2014 and represented a crucial victory. It is the largest city under the control of IS, as well as the second largest Iraqi city.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 
Conquering a city means taking full possession of all its resources and Mosul was a &ldquo;goldmine&rdquo; both from a military as well as economic perspective &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
IS seized all weapon and ammunition left behind by the regular forces during their retreat, a precious arsenal that guaranteed control over Mosul and made further military operations in the vicinity possible. &nbsp; 
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Not losing Mosul is now as important to IS as it was once to conquer it. (WION)
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Mosul had long been an operational base for the US forces and the weapons and vehicles left behind were relatively new and up-to-date. To add to this, a good number of arms and ammunitions could also be sourced from the city&#39;s many police stations that lay abandoned. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Immediate financial liquidity is also one of the fallouts of taking over a city. All the cash available in banks, post offices, government offices, hospitals and many other institutions contributed to the IS fund for paying soldiers and also compensated for losses incurred in war. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Oil, however, was the real booty to be won in Mosul. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Ammunition eventually runs out, as does cash. Oil does not. It is the most enduring economic resource of the whole region and every country in the world wants to buy it at half price &ndash; nevermind the seller. And IS capitalised on this.

&#39;Iraqi HQ&#39; key to IS hold over West Asia&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
IS does not control oil wells any more. This means it has to rely on other resources for sustaining an attack. The terror organisation is probably not running out of cash immediately, but in the long run they will be forced to increase taxation to sustain their expenses, which will likely undermine their relationship with the local population.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
And more isolated a city gets, the more every sort of resource becomes expensive. If the main external supplies are then cut, cash becomes useless. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Not losing Mosul is now as important to IS as it was once to conquer it. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
An IS defeat here will deprive them of what they call their &quot;Iraqi headquarter&quot;. A loss which will deliver a huge psychological blow on IS affiliates and on the ambition of being a State. How can a State which claims to be willing to rule West Asia not have a &ldquo;capital city&rdquo; in Iraq? How can a State transmit an image of power and the capability to govern if it is not able to defend its major cities? And, without such major centres and their resources, how will this State economically survive and pay its soldiers and employees? &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Many IS terrorists are believed to be fighting only for the pay rather than for a cause and economic difficulties are not likely to make brave warriors of them.

The combatants up for the final fight

The final fight for Mosul won&rsquo;t be easy. All sides will fight till the very end. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
US President Barack Obama would obviously like to close his second term with a big win against IS terrorists. A US victory could also improve the shaky chances of Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton finally making it to the White House after the elections in November. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Iraqi regular army and the government want to regain a crucial portion of its territory to restore their legitimacy, access to oil extraction, and the reputation of its forces that have often been perceived as victims of internal conflict and polarisation -- something that led to losses, not the least that of Mosul.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Kurdish Peshmergas are willing to secure their regional borders and get Iraqi Kurdistan back to the pre-IS economic boom phase, a time when the local media described its capital city, Erbil, as &ldquo;the new Dubai&rdquo;. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
It is, however, not the only aim of the Kurdish Peshmergas, and talks between their President, Masoud Barzani, and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi are to happen soon in Baghdad. The meeting is expected to decide the future of the Kirkuk oil plants that have been under Peshmerga control since they pushed the IS out. The oil plants were previously administrated by the central government of Iraq. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The IS, on the other hand, has a lot to lose and is definitely alert about an upcoming offensive. It has been preparing and this suggests the battle will be bloody and long, most probably involving a lot of house-to-house operations. The only advantage of the current situation is that the preparation for the defence of Mosul has slowed the IS&#39;s political proselytism. &nbsp; 
Organisations under attack are often forced to redirect their resources and energies in preparing the defence phase and this leaves less time for consensus building, the very pillar of every organisation and of every resistance against a siege.

From strategy to ethnicity: Challenges in the aftermath&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
If the US air force, the Iraqi army and the Kurdish Peshmerga storm Mosul together from any direction, an Islamic State&rsquo;s victory is very unlikely. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Open battle is not the strategy IS prefers most. There is a concrete risk that cells active all over the world will be ordered, or will independently decide, to carry out as many attacks as possible against civilians. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
This will internationalise the conflict and open several fronts in the mainlands of all the countries taking part in a possible attack against Mosul.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
However, military challenges are not the only expected outcomes of this offensive. A &nbsp;massive surge of civilians is expected to reach Iraq and Kurdistan and the many non-governmental organisations on the ground are already at work to set up emergency camps.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The complex social fabric of Iraq poses several challenges for a Mosul aftermath even before the battle has begun. Who will eventually rule the city and how is a crucial decision. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Mosul&rsquo;s residents are predominantly Sunni as it is located in western Iraq, but the country&rsquo;s army has relied heavily on Shiite militias to win their battles against IS in the area. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
If these militias play a crucial role in the battle of Mosul, residents of the cities will probably not show their solidarity, and in an urban battle the support of the local population counts more than anything else. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
It could be that Sunni inhabitants of Mosul decide to shelter and help IS terrorists - who are also Sunni - in order to avoid a Shiite supremacy in the city government. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
There are several other unofficial armed groups willing to take part in Mosul&rsquo;s battle, with or without official invitation. These include Sunni local tribes, Assyrian Christian groups and Iran-backed Shia groups who will not hesitate to open minor fronts within the battle to avoid rival control of neighbourhoods. A war-within-the-war scenario similar to what has been going on in Syria&rsquo;s Aleppo. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The mix of participants, all eager to claim their part in the liberation of Mosul, poses a major threat for the future stability of the city if a shellproof and binding political agreement is not secured before the attack.

(Edited by Anuradha Mukherjee, WION)

IS has lost control over oil wells and now the battle to liberate the largest Iraqi city under terrorist control will begin before year end

Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria, the two major cities controlled by the Islamic State, will be the twin epicentres of the most crucial battle against the terrorist organisation's hold in West Asia. While the attack against Raqqa is hostage to political games between Turkey and the United States (US), everything suggests that the attack against IS (Islamic State) in Mosul will happen before 2016-end. US secretary of defence Ashton Carter recently agreed to send another 600 special forces for training the Iraqi army before the attack on Mosul. The contingent will add to the 4,400 US troops already on Iraqi soil. Last week’s military operations near Mosul succeeded in depriving the IS of its last oil wells. Iraqi oil minister Jabbar-al-Luaibi declared on Wednesday that the terrorist organisation no longer controlled any oil well in the country. This is just the latest blow against the IS in Northern Iraq. A month ago IS lost the Qayyara oilfield to the Iraqi forces who are since then preparing to march northward. This is apart from the several villages that were liberated. In December 2015, IS lost the city of Sinjar to the Kurdish Peshmerga army and Yazidi fighters. What Mosul's capture meant Mosul fell to IS in 2014 and represented a crucial victory. It is the largest city under the control of IS, as well as the second largest Iraqi city. Conquering a city means taking full possession of all its resources and Mosul was a “goldmine” both from a military as well as economic perspective IS seized all weapon and ammunition left behind by the regular forces during their retreat, a precious arsenal that guaranteed control over Mosul and made further military operations in the vicinity possible. Not losing Mosul is now as important to IS as it was once to conquer it. (WION) × Mosul had long been an operational base for the US forces and the weapons and vehicles left behind were relatively new and up-to-date. To add to this, a good number of arms and ammunitions could also be sourced from the city's many police stations that lay abandoned. Immediate financial liquidity is also one of the fallouts of taking over a city. All the cash available in banks, post offices, government offices, hospitals and many other institutions contributed to the IS fund for paying soldiers and also compensated for losses incurred in war. Oil, however, was the real booty to be won in Mosul. Ammunition eventually runs out, as does cash. Oil does not. It is the most enduring economic resource of the whole region and every country in the world wants to buy it at half price – nevermind the seller. And IS capitalised on this. 'Iraqi HQ' key to IS hold over West Asia IS does not control oil wells any more. This means it has to rely on other resources for sustaining an attack. The terror organisation is probably not running out of cash immediately, but in the long run they will be forced to increase taxation to sustain their expenses, which will likely undermine their relationship with the local population. And more isolated a city gets, the more every sort of resource becomes expensive. If the main external supplies are then cut, cash becomes useless. Not losing Mosul is now as important to IS as it was once to conquer it. An IS defeat here will deprive them of what they call their "Iraqi headquarter". A loss which will deliver a huge psychological blow on IS affiliates and on the ambition of being a State. How can a State which claims to be willing to rule West Asia not have a “capital city” in Iraq? How can a State transmit an image of power and the capability to govern if it is not able to defend its major cities? And, without such major centres and their resources, how will this State economically survive and pay its soldiers and employees? Many IS terrorists are believed to be fighting only for the pay rather than for a cause and economic difficulties are not likely to make brave warriors of them. The combatants up for the final fight The final fight for Mosul won’t be easy. All sides will fight till the very end. US President Barack Obama would obviously like to close his second term with a big win against IS terrorists. A US victory could also improve the shaky chances of Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton finally making it to the White House after the elections in November. Iraqi regular army and the government want to regain a crucial portion of its territory to restore their legitimacy, access to oil extraction, and the reputation of its forces that have often been perceived as victims of internal conflict and polarisation -- something that led to losses, not the least that of Mosul. Kurdish Peshmergas are willing to secure their regional borders and get Iraqi Kurdistan back to the pre-IS economic boom phase, a time when the local media described its capital city, Erbil, as “the new Dubai”. It is, however, not the only aim of the Kurdish Peshmergas, and talks between their President, Masoud Barzani, and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi are to happen soon in Baghdad. The meeting is expected to decide the future of the Kirkuk oil plants that have been under Peshmerga control since they pushed the IS out. The oil plants were previously administrated by the central government of Iraq. The IS, on the other hand, has a lot to lose and is definitely alert about an upcoming offensive. It has been preparing and this suggests the battle will be bloody and long, most probably involving a lot of house-to-house operations. The only advantage of the current situation is that the preparation for the defence of Mosul has slowed the IS's political proselytism. Organisations under attack are often forced to redirect their resources and energies in preparing the defence phase and this leaves less time for consensus building, the very pillar of every organisation and of every resistance against a siege. From strategy to ethnicity: Challenges in the aftermath If the US air force, the Iraqi army and the Kurdish Peshmerga storm Mosul together from any direction, an Islamic State’s victory is very unlikely. Open battle is not the strategy IS prefers most. There is a concrete risk that cells active all over the world will be ordered, or will independently decide, to carry out as many attacks as possible against civilians. This will internationalise the conflict and open several fronts in the mainlands of all the countries taking part in a possible attack against Mosul. However, military challenges are not the only expected outcomes of this offensive. A massive surge of civilians is expected to reach Iraq and Kurdistan and the many non-governmental organisations on the ground are already at work to set up emergency camps. The complex social fabric of Iraq poses several challenges for a Mosul aftermath even before the battle has begun. Who will eventually rule the city and how is a crucial decision. Mosul’s residents are predominantly Sunni as it is located in western Iraq, but the country’s army has relied heavily on Shiite militias to win their battles against IS in the area. If these militias play a crucial role in the battle of Mosul, residents of the cities will probably not show their solidarity, and in an urban battle the support of the local population counts more than anything else. It could be that Sunni inhabitants of Mosul decide to shelter and help IS terrorists - who are also Sunni - in order to avoid a Shiite supremacy in the city government. There are several other unofficial armed groups willing to take part in Mosul’s battle, with or without official invitation. These include Sunni local tribes, Assyrian Christian groups and Iran-backed Shia groups who will not hesitate to open minor fronts within the battle to avoid rival control of neighbourhoods. A war-within-the-war scenario similar to what has been going on in Syria’s Aleppo. The mix of participants, all eager to claim their part in the liberation of Mosul, poses a major threat for the future stability of the city if a shellproof and binding political agreement is not secured before the attack. (Edited by Anuradha Mukherjee, WION)

West Asia's fate lies in balance over Mosul's liberation from IS

More than 20 people were killed and about 50 injured in three bombings, including two suicide attacks&nbsp;that hit Baghdad today, police and medical sources said.

The attacks came as Iraqi forces and Shi&#39;ite militias were fighting Islamic State militants in Falluja.

Twelve people were killed and more than 20 injured when a car bomb blew up in Baghdad&#39;s northern Shaab Shi&#39;ite district.

Eight were killed and 21 wounded by a suicide bomber who detonated a car packed with explosives near a government building and a police station in Tarmiya, a predominantly Sunni suburb north of Baghdad.

Another suicide bomber riding a motorcycle set off his explosive belt in Sadr City, a popular Shi&#39;ite district of Baghdad, killing three and injuring nine.

The attacks come in the wake of the Iraqi Army and Shi'ite militia storming Falluja to recapture it from the Islamic State.

More than 20 people were killed and about 50 injured in three bombings, including two suicide attacks that hit Baghdad today, police and medical sources said. The attacks came as Iraqi forces and Shi'ite militias were fighting Islamic State militants in Falluja. Twelve people were killed and more than 20 injured when a car bomb blew up in Baghdad's northern Shaab Shi'ite district. Eight were killed and 21 wounded by a suicide bomber who detonated a car packed with explosives near a government building and a police station in Tarmiya, a predominantly Sunni suburb north of Baghdad. Another suicide bomber riding a motorcycle set off his explosive belt in Sadr City, a popular Shi'ite district of Baghdad, killing three and injuring nine.

More than 20 killed in multiple blasts in Baghdad

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