Iraqi forces pushed deeper into Mosul&#39;s Old City on Monday after launching a final assault on the Islamic State group, warning civilians to stay inside and telling jihadists to &quot;surrender or die&quot;.

Iraqi forces launched the operation Sunday to retake the district, the last part of Iraq&#39;s second city still held by IS after a months-long offensive.

Commanders say the jihadists are putting up fierce resistance and there are fears for more than 100,000 civilians believed to be trapped in the maze of narrow streets.

Staff Major General Maan al-Saadi, a top commander in Iraq&#39;s elite Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS), told AFP that heavy fighting had resumed at dawn on Monday.

&quot;We pushed deeper into the Old City and took control of new areas in the Faruq neighbourhood,&quot; he said.

The various Iraqi forces pushing into the Old City made modest gains, as IS fighters rained mortar fire on their positions and offered stiff resistance.

&quot;Penetrating was very difficult. Today the fighting is face to face,&quot; Saadi said.

The push into Mosul&#39;s historic heart on the west bank of the Tigris River marks the culmination of a campaign launched in October by Iraqi forces to retake IS&#39;s last major urban stronghold in the country.

The US-led coalition battling IS in Iraq and neighbouring Syria has backed the offensive, including with months of air strikes.

The loss of Mosul would mark the effective end of the Iraqi portion of the cross-border &quot;caliphate&quot; that IS declared in summer 2014 after seizing swathes of Iraq and Syria.

IEDs on toy cars

Sheltering from relentless fire and explosions near a sniper position on the edge of the Old City, CTS captain Ahmed Jassem described a bitter fight.

&quot;We can&#39;t bring our vehicles into these narrow streets. It means they can&#39;t use as many car bombs either, but they use motorcycle bombs and even IEDs mounted on remote-controlled toy cars,&quot; he said.

Iraqi forces stationed Humvees by the Grand Mosque on the retaken east side of Mosul, facing the Old City and mounted with speakers.

The loudspeakers blared messages to IS fighters, telling them: &quot;You have only this choice: surrender or die&quot;.

Late on Sunday, Iraqi forces dropped nearly 500,000 leaflets over the city, warning that they had &quot;started attacking from all directions&quot;.

The leaflets urge civilians to &quot;stay away from open places and... exploit any opportunity that arises during the fighting&quot; to escape.

The United Nations has said IS may be holding more than 100,000 civilians as human shields in the Old City.

On Monday, the French national broadcaster France Televisions and Reporters Without Borders said three French journalists were wounded in a landmine blast in Mosul and their Iraqi fixer killed.

&quot;I am fine but I am terribly sad for Bakhtiyar (Addad),&quot; one of those wounded, freelance journalist Samuel Forey, said of the Iraqi victim.&nbsp;

The other two French journalists wounded, identified as Veronique Rober and Stephane Villeneuve, were prepared a documentary on the battle for Mosul for public channel France 2.

Only a few hundred yards (metres) from the heaviest fighting, small groups of civilians gathered, sheltering from the scorching sun more than from mortar rounds falling into the neighbourhood.

&quot;We moved to a camp in Hammam al-Alil when the neighbourhood was liberated, but homes were being looted so we came back to protect our property,&quot; said Nabil Hamed Khattab, a 56-year old who did not flinch when a mortar round came crashing down a few blocks away.

Commanders have said the fighting is expected to be very difficult and could last weeks.&nbsp;

Surrounded by Iraqi forces on three sides and blocked on the other by the Tigris that runs through Mosul, the jihadists are cornered.

Iraqi forces launched a vast operation to retake Mosul eight months ago, seizing the city&#39;s eastern side in January and starting an assault on its western part the following month.

Aid groups have raised concerns that already-traumatised civilians risk getting caught up in fierce street fighting.

It is not clear how many civilians have been killed in the operation, but aid workers are warning that casualties will be high.

&quot;We&#39;re seeing dozens of new patients a day, including children and the elderly. For a heartbreakingly high number, it was simply too late; they died soon after reaching us,&quot; said Dr. Julia Schuerch, an ICRC emergency room specialist deployed in west Mosul.

&quot;Why didn&#39;t they come sooner?&quot; she said. &quot;Residents are being forced to make impossible life and death choices as they seek to flee the violence.&quot;

Since the start of the battle to retake Mosul, an estimated 862,000 people have been displaced. Around 195,000 have since returned, mainly to the city&#39;s east.

It was from the Old City&#39;s emblematic Al-Nuri mosque in July 2014 that IS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi made his only public appearance.

He urged Muslims worldwide to move to the group&#39;s &quot;caliphate&quot; straddling Iraq and Syria.

The jihadists have since lost most of the territory they once controlled in the face of US-backed offensives in Iraq and in Syria, where a Kurdish-Arab alliance is advancing on the group&#39;s last Syrian stronghold Raqa.

Iraqi forces launched the operation Sunday to retake the district, the last part of Iraq's second city still held by IS after a months-long offensive

Iraqi forces pushed deeper into Mosul's Old City on Monday after launching a final assault on the Islamic State group, warning civilians to stay inside and telling jihadists to "surrender or die". Iraqi forces launched the operation Sunday to retake the district, the last part of Iraq's second city still held by IS after a months-long offensive. Commanders say the jihadists are putting up fierce resistance and there are fears for more than 100,000 civilians believed to be trapped in the maze of narrow streets. Staff Major General Maan al-Saadi, a top commander in Iraq's elite Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS), told AFP that heavy fighting had resumed at dawn on Monday. "We pushed deeper into the Old City and took control of new areas in the Faruq neighbourhood," he said. The various Iraqi forces pushing into the Old City made modest gains, as IS fighters rained mortar fire on their positions and offered stiff resistance. "Penetrating was very difficult. Today the fighting is face to face," Saadi said. The push into Mosul's historic heart on the west bank of the Tigris River marks the culmination of a campaign launched in October by Iraqi forces to retake IS's last major urban stronghold in the country. The US-led coalition battling IS in Iraq and neighbouring Syria has backed the offensive, including with months of air strikes. The loss of Mosul would mark the effective end of the Iraqi portion of the cross-border "caliphate" that IS declared in summer 2014 after seizing swathes of Iraq and Syria. IEDs on toy cars Sheltering from relentless fire and explosions near a sniper position on the edge of the Old City, CTS captain Ahmed Jassem described a bitter fight. "We can't bring our vehicles into these narrow streets. It means they can't use as many car bombs either, but they use motorcycle bombs and even IEDs mounted on remote-controlled toy cars," he said. Iraqi forces stationed Humvees by the Grand Mosque on the retaken east side of Mosul, facing the Old City and mounted with speakers. The loudspeakers blared messages to IS fighters, telling them: "You have only this choice: surrender or die". Late on Sunday, Iraqi forces dropped nearly 500,000 leaflets over the city, warning that they had "started attacking from all directions". The leaflets urge civilians to "stay away from open places and... exploit any opportunity that arises during the fighting" to escape. The United Nations has said IS may be holding more than 100,000 civilians as human shields in the Old City. On Monday, the French national broadcaster France Televisions and Reporters Without Borders said three French journalists were wounded in a landmine blast in Mosul and their Iraqi fixer killed. "I am fine but I am terribly sad for Bakhtiyar (Addad)," one of those wounded, freelance journalist Samuel Forey, said of the Iraqi victim. The other two French journalists wounded, identified as Veronique Rober and Stephane Villeneuve, were prepared a documentary on the battle for Mosul for public channel France 2. Only a few hundred yards (metres) from the heaviest fighting, small groups of civilians gathered, sheltering from the scorching sun more than from mortar rounds falling into the neighbourhood. "We moved to a camp in Hammam al-Alil when the neighbourhood was liberated, but homes were being looted so we came back to protect our property," said Nabil Hamed Khattab, a 56-year old who did not flinch when a mortar round came crashing down a few blocks away. Commanders have said the fighting is expected to be very difficult and could last weeks. Surrounded by Iraqi forces on three sides and blocked on the other by the Tigris that runs through Mosul, the jihadists are cornered. Iraqi forces launched a vast operation to retake Mosul eight months ago, seizing the city's eastern side in January and starting an assault on its western part the following month. Aid groups have raised concerns that already-traumatised civilians risk getting caught up in fierce street fighting. It is not clear how many civilians have been killed in the operation, but aid workers are warning that casualties will be high. "We're seeing dozens of new patients a day, including children and the elderly. For a heartbreakingly high number, it was simply too late; they died soon after reaching us," said Dr. Julia Schuerch, an ICRC emergency room specialist deployed in west Mosul. "Why didn't they come sooner?" she said. "Residents are being forced to make impossible life and death choices as they seek to flee the violence." Since the start of the battle to retake Mosul, an estimated 862,000 people have been displaced. Around 195,000 have since returned, mainly to the city's east. It was from the Old City's emblematic Al-Nuri mosque in July 2014 that IS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi made his only public appearance. He urged Muslims worldwide to move to the group's "caliphate" straddling Iraq and Syria. The jihadists have since lost most of the territory they once controlled in the face of US-backed offensives in Iraq and in Syria, where a Kurdish-Arab alliance is advancing on the group's last Syrian stronghold Raqa.

Iraqi forces push into Mosul Old City, warn IS 'surrender or die'

The Popular Mobilisation Forces, or Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi, have reclaimed the town of&nbsp;Tal Afar and cut off the last of remaining supply routes to Mosul, the last stronghold of Islamic State in Iraq.

The road crossing Tal Afar -- located 70 kilometres west of Mosul -- was the last hope for IS militants to escape to Syria or receive fresh supplies of ammunitions, food or cooking oil.

Shia militia Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi&#39;s success means that the city of Mosul has been completely isolated, a major blow for IS fighters both in strategical and psychological aspects.

MIstrust&nbsp;of Shia militias

Shia paramilitary forces have been active in offensives against Islamic State in Tikrit, Ramadi and Fallujah.

But they&nbsp;have been accused by the United Nations of perpetrating heinous war crimes against the local Sunni inhabitants suspected to have supported the Islamic State -- allegations that have been stoutly repudiated by the Shia forces.

Members of groups affiliated to Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi like&nbsp;the Badr Brigade and the Liwa al-Munthadir&nbsp;who met this reporter said such allegations were chiefly being circulated by the fleeing IS jihadists to create mistrust between them and the hitherto besieged civilians.

However, there are concerns that the participation of&nbsp;Shia-dominated militias&nbsp;in the fight against IS is helping them consolidate their political legitimacy -- a development that could further worsen matters&nbsp;in the&nbsp;mostly-Sunni Muslim towns and villages in the region.

Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi: A profile

Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi is an umbrella organisation, made up of several Shia-dominated&nbsp;groups.

Some groups are relatively young. They formed in 2014 after the leader of the Iraqi Shia community, imam Al-Sistani,&nbsp;called upon his followers to take up arms against Islamic State.

Other groups like the Badr Brigade&nbsp;have had a long tradition in Iraqi politics.&nbsp;Badr Brigade&nbsp;was created in 1982 as a paramilitary group linked to the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), an organisation established in Iran in 1980. They were one of the main Shia organisations leading the resistance against the Sunni-led dictatorship of Saddam Hussain.

After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the toppling of the regime, many members of the Badr Brigade joined the armed forces and the federal police and gained legitimacy and influence in the country&rsquo;s political arena. Badr which has been allied to SCIRI party for long,&nbsp;currently holds 22 seats in the Council of Representatives of Iraq.

Drawing a comparison, the Badr Brigade in Iraq resembles Lebanon&rsquo;s Hezbollah, an armed party active within the society and in full control of large swathes of the country. &nbsp;

The Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi&rsquo;s galaxy has also other groups openly linked with Iran, among which is the Kata&rsquo;b Hezbollah. The group has a secret structure but it is believed that the Shiite Iraqi military commander Jamal Jaffar Mohammed Ali Ebrahimi, known by his nome de guerre Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, is a prominent member of the group. He is believed to have direct links with the Iranian special forces.

Due to the political, religious and military vicinity to Iran, the organisation is often perceived as Teheran&rsquo;s proxy army in Iraq --&nbsp;a group through which&nbsp;Iraq&#39;s Shia neiighbour is trying to expand its sphere of influence in the Middle East.

Militias of the Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi now control a wide expanse of territory --&nbsp;from the city of Qayyarah, south to Mosul, up to Tal Afar. That means the majority of southern and western Iraq are now partially under their control.

However, their presence is not all-encompassing. They are in constant coordination with the&nbsp;Iraqi Army, as Major General Najim Al-Jabouri, commander in chief of the Niniwah Operation, told WION during his last interview before the beginning of the Mosul&nbsp;offensive.

It is important to remember that it is the Iraqi Army that is the mother ship of the current campaign against IS.

During a four-day trip inside Shia-controlled territories, this reporter directly witnessed several high-ranking officers of the Iraqi Army inspecting and meeting members of the Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi, meaning that there is an established relation between the two forces.&nbsp;

But there is more to it than meets the eye. A&nbsp;visible majority of the Iraqi Army vehicles carry a flag representing Imam Hussain, the holiest figure for Shia Muslims. Soldiers told WION that they carry it as a badge of protection&nbsp;during the battles, but the symbolism suggests that the Iraqi army is&nbsp;mainly composed of Shia Muslims who are not afraid to show their presence.

Even if Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi is currently fighting against Islamic State and helping the local populace to return to their villages by&nbsp;clearing hidden bombs in the area, their presence might inflame sectarian passions.

Western Iraq is a majority Sunni area and the prospect of being ruled by Shia-led organisations will not be liked by many local tribes, which could potentially transform the region into a tinderbox.&nbsp;

(WION)

&nbsp;

The ascendancy of Shias in Iraq's liberation forces is being viewed darkly in the Sunni-dominated regions of the country

The Popular Mobilisation Forces, or Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi, have reclaimed the town of Tal Afar and cut off the last of remaining supply routes to Mosul, the last stronghold of Islamic State in Iraq. The road crossing Tal Afar -- located 70 kilometres west of Mosul -- was the last hope for IS militants to escape to Syria or receive fresh supplies of ammunitions, food or cooking oil. Shia militia Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi's success means that the city of Mosul has been completely isolated, a major blow for IS fighters both in strategical and psychological aspects. MIstrust of Shia militias Shia paramilitary forces have been active in offensives against Islamic State in Tikrit, Ramadi and Fallujah. But they have been accused by the United Nations of perpetrating heinous war crimes against the local Sunni inhabitants suspected to have supported the Islamic State -- allegations that have been stoutly repudiated by the Shia forces. Members of groups affiliated to Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi like the Badr Brigade and the Liwa al-Munthadir who met this reporter said such allegations were chiefly being circulated by the fleeing IS jihadists to create mistrust between them and the hitherto besieged civilians. However, there are concerns that the participation of Shia-dominated militias in the fight against IS is helping them consolidate their political legitimacy -- a development that could further worsen matters in the mostly-Sunni Muslim towns and villages in the region. Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi: A profile Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi is an umbrella organisation, made up of several Shia-dominated groups. Some groups are relatively young. They formed in 2014 after the leader of the Iraqi Shia community, imam Al-Sistani, called upon his followers to take up arms against Islamic State. Other groups like the Badr Brigade have had a long tradition in Iraqi politics. Badr Brigade was created in 1982 as a paramilitary group linked to the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), an organisation established in Iran in 1980. They were one of the main Shia organisations leading the resistance against the Sunni-led dictatorship of Saddam Hussain. After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the toppling of the regime, many members of the Badr Brigade joined the armed forces and the federal police and gained legitimacy and influence in the country’s political arena. Badr which has been allied to SCIRI party for long, currently holds 22 seats in the Council of Representatives of Iraq. Drawing a comparison, the Badr Brigade in Iraq resembles Lebanon’s Hezbollah, an armed party active within the society and in full control of large swathes of the country. The Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi’s galaxy has also other groups openly linked with Iran, among which is the Kata’b Hezbollah. The group has a secret structure but it is believed that the Shiite Iraqi military commander Jamal Jaffar Mohammed Ali Ebrahimi, known by his nome de guerre Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, is a prominent member of the group. He is believed to have direct links with the Iranian special forces. Due to the political, religious and military vicinity to Iran, the organisation is often perceived as Teheran’s proxy army in Iraq -- a group through which Iraq's Shia neiighbour is trying to expand its sphere of influence in the Middle East. Militias of the Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi now control a wide expanse of territory -- from the city of Qayyarah, south to Mosul, up to Tal Afar. That means the majority of southern and western Iraq are now partially under their control. However, their presence is not all-encompassing. They are in constant coordination with the Iraqi Army, as Major General Najim Al-Jabouri, commander in chief of the Niniwah Operation, told WION during his last interview before the beginning of the Mosul offensive. It is important to remember that it is the Iraqi Army that is the mother ship of the current campaign against IS. During a four-day trip inside Shia-controlled territories, this reporter directly witnessed several high-ranking officers of the Iraqi Army inspecting and meeting members of the Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi, meaning that there is an established relation between the two forces. But there is more to it than meets the eye. A visible majority of the Iraqi Army vehicles carry a flag representing Imam Hussain, the holiest figure for Shia Muslims. Soldiers told WION that they carry it as a badge of protection during the battles, but the symbolism suggests that the Iraqi army is mainly composed of Shia Muslims who are not afraid to show their presence. Even if Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi is currently fighting against Islamic State and helping the local populace to return to their villages by clearing hidden bombs in the area, their presence might inflame sectarian passions. Western Iraq is a majority Sunni area and the prospect of being ruled by Shia-led organisations will not be liked by many local tribes, which could potentially transform the region into a tinderbox. (WION)

Shia militias cut off Mosul supply routes, but sectarian tension rears its head

US-backed Iraqi troops expanded their foothold on the eastern side of Islamic State&#39;s stronghold of Mosul on Friday, as the group pledged to mount more suicide attacks on their offensive to take the city.

The elite Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) stormed Tahrir district on the northeastern edge of Mosul, the last major city under control of the Sunni hard-line group in Iraq.&nbsp;

A Reuters correspondent reporting from the CTS-held line in Tahrir saw civilians streaming out of the nearby Aden district where fighting blazed, pushing trolleys containing their belongings and carrying home-made white flags.

The women were still shrouded in black robes imposed by the militants but most had uncovered their faces as they fled intense fighting.

Militants have been steadily retreating from areas around Mosul into the city since the battle started on October&nbsp;17, with air and ground support from a US-led coalition.

&quot;The advance is slow due to the civilians,&quot; said CTS Lt. General Abdul Wahab al-Saidi, adding that the US-trained unit aims to clear the rest of the neighborhood during the day.

A Friday prayer sermon referring to &quot;mujahideen&quot;, or holy war fighters, could be heard coming from a mosque under control of the jihadis in the vicinity. An armed man, possibly a sniper, was in the minaret of the mosque.

As the offensive entered its second month, Iraqi government forces are still fighting in a dozen of about 50 neighbourhoods on the eastern part of Mosul, which is divided by the Tigris River that runs through its centre.

Militants are dug in among the civilians as a defence tactic to hamper air strikes, moving around the city through tunnels, driving suicide car bombs into advancing troops and hitting them with sniper and mortar fire.&nbsp;

&#39;Martyr operations are increasing&#39;

A loud explosion was heard several streets away from the CTS lines. An officer said it was a suicide bomber who blew himself up after being surrounded in a house. The CTS unit was using adrone&nbsp;to try to detect insurgents.

The number of fighters who are ready to blow themselves up is increasing, an insurgent commander told Islamic State&#39;s weekly magazine, al-Nabaa, published online on Thursday.

&quot;We&#39;re giving you the good news that the number of brothers ready for martyrdom is very large and, with God&#39;s grace, the brothers who are demanding martyr operations are increasing,&quot; said the commander, who was not named.

The offensive to take Mosul, the largest city under Islamic State control in either Iraq or Syria, is turning into the biggest battle in Iraq&#39;s turbulent history since the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003.

The CTS became the only unit to have breached the city limits on its eastern side two weeks ago. Other army units have yet to breach the northern and the southern sides.

Iranian-backed militias earlier this week announced the capture of an air base west of Mosul, part of their campaign to choke off the route between the Syrian and Iraqi parts of the caliphate Islamic State declared in 2014.

Iraqi military estimates put the number of Islamic State fighters in Mosul at 5,000 to 6,000. Facing them is a 100,000-strong coalition of Iraqi government forces, Kurdish fighters and Shi&#39;ite paramilitary units.

Drawn out battle

Iraqi authorities have declined to give a timeline for recapture of the whole city, but the battle is likely to last for months. Militants have launched waves of counter-attacks against advancing forces, tying them down in lethal urban combat in narrow streets still full of residents.

The Islamic State commander cited in al-Nabaa said the battles with the Shi&#39;ite paramilitary groups known as Popular Mobilisation west of Mosul will continue &quot;in long episodes&quot;.&nbsp;

Iraqi authorities have not published a casualty toll for the Mosul campaign overall - either for security forces, civilians or Islamic State fighters. The warring sides claim to have inflicted thousands of casualties in enemy ranks.

Nearly 59,000 people have been displaced because of the fighting, moving from villages and towns around the city to government-held areas, according to UN&nbsp;estimates.

The figure does not include the thousands of people rounded up in villages around Mosul and forced to accompany Islamic State fighters to cover their retreat towards the city as human shields.

In some cases, men of fighting age were separated from those groups and summarily killed, according to residents and rights groups. Human Rights Watch said on Thursday more than 300 former police officers were likely killed last month and buried in a mass grave near the town of Hammam al-Alil, south of Mosul.

Mosul&#39;s capture is seen as crucial towards dismantling the caliphate, and Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, believed to have withdrawn to a remote area near the Syrian border, has told his fighters there can be no retreat.

(Reuters)

The US-supported Iraqi troops said their advance on Mosul has been slow due to the wave of suicide attacks launched by IS

US-backed Iraqi troops expanded their foothold on the eastern side of Islamic State's stronghold of Mosul on Friday, as the group pledged to mount more suicide attacks on their offensive to take the city. The elite Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) stormed Tahrir district on the northeastern edge of Mosul, the last major city under control of the Sunni hard-line group in Iraq. A Reuters correspondent reporting from the CTS-held line in Tahrir saw civilians streaming out of the nearby Aden district where fighting blazed, pushing trolleys containing their belongings and carrying home-made white flags. The women were still shrouded in black robes imposed by the militants but most had uncovered their faces as they fled intense fighting. Militants have been steadily retreating from areas around Mosul into the city since the battle started on October 17, with air and ground support from a US-led coalition. "The advance is slow due to the civilians," said CTS Lt. General Abdul Wahab al-Saidi, adding that the US-trained unit aims to clear the rest of the neighborhood during the day. A Friday prayer sermon referring to "mujahideen", or holy war fighters, could be heard coming from a mosque under control of the jihadis in the vicinity. An armed man, possibly a sniper, was in the minaret of the mosque. As the offensive entered its second month, Iraqi government forces are still fighting in a dozen of about 50 neighbourhoods on the eastern part of Mosul, which is divided by the Tigris River that runs through its centre. Militants are dug in among the civilians as a defence tactic to hamper air strikes, moving around the city through tunnels, driving suicide car bombs into advancing troops and hitting them with sniper and mortar fire. 'Martyr operations are increasing' A loud explosion was heard several streets away from the CTS lines. An officer said it was a suicide bomber who blew himself up after being surrounded in a house. The CTS unit was using adrone to try to detect insurgents. The number of fighters who are ready to blow themselves up is increasing, an insurgent commander told Islamic State's weekly magazine, al-Nabaa, published online on Thursday. "We're giving you the good news that the number of brothers ready for martyrdom is very large and, with God's grace, the brothers who are demanding martyr operations are increasing," said the commander, who was not named. The offensive to take Mosul, the largest city under Islamic State control in either Iraq or Syria, is turning into the biggest battle in Iraq's turbulent history since the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. The CTS became the only unit to have breached the city limits on its eastern side two weeks ago. Other army units have yet to breach the northern and the southern sides. Iranian-backed militias earlier this week announced the capture of an air base west of Mosul, part of their campaign to choke off the route between the Syrian and Iraqi parts of the caliphate Islamic State declared in 2014. Iraqi military estimates put the number of Islamic State fighters in Mosul at 5,000 to 6,000. Facing them is a 100,000-strong coalition of Iraqi government forces, Kurdish fighters and Shi'ite paramilitary units. Drawn out battle Iraqi authorities have declined to give a timeline for recapture of the whole city, but the battle is likely to last for months. Militants have launched waves of counter-attacks against advancing forces, tying them down in lethal urban combat in narrow streets still full of residents. The Islamic State commander cited in al-Nabaa said the battles with the Shi'ite paramilitary groups known as Popular Mobilisation west of Mosul will continue "in long episodes". Iraqi authorities have not published a casualty toll for the Mosul campaign overall - either for security forces, civilians or Islamic State fighters. The warring sides claim to have inflicted thousands of casualties in enemy ranks. Nearly 59,000 people have been displaced because of the fighting, moving from villages and towns around the city to government-held areas, according to UN estimates. The figure does not include the thousands of people rounded up in villages around Mosul and forced to accompany Islamic State fighters to cover their retreat towards the city as human shields. In some cases, men of fighting age were separated from those groups and summarily killed, according to residents and rights groups. Human Rights Watch said on Thursday more than 300 former police officers were likely killed last month and buried in a mass grave near the town of Hammam al-Alil, south of Mosul. Mosul's capture is seen as crucial towards dismantling the caliphate, and Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, believed to have withdrawn to a remote area near the Syrian border, has told his fighters there can be no retreat. (Reuters)

Battle for Mosul: US-backed forces gain ground, IS 'ready for martyrdom'

Malaysia is stepping up security at its borders to prevent Malaysian militant fighters from trickling into the country as Iraqi forces launch&nbsp;an offensive to take back Mosul, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on Tuesday.

Ahmad Zahid told a press conference that security at the Malaysian airport and the border has been increased, and illegal routes are being monitored.

&quot;We have been exchanging intel with international intelligence agencies, and we have a suspect list which includes names of those we believe have ties with Daesh (Islamic State),&quot; he said,&nbsp;Reuters reported.&nbsp;

Zahid did not mention the number of Malaysians currently in Mosul but according to Reuters, police figures released last month showed that 90 Malaysians had joined IS in Syria and Iraq since 2013.

In August, Malaysia&nbsp;revoked passports of 68 Malaysians who had left the country to join IS.&nbsp;

Deputy PM Zahid said that if the fighters return home, they would be detained and sent for deradicalisation.&nbsp;

So far, 137 Malaysians have been arrested for either planning to join IS overseas, returning to Malaysia after joining the group&nbsp;or sending funds to the group, he added.&nbsp;

The country&rsquo;s defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein had said on Monday that intelligence sources suggested that thousands of IS members would make their way back to their countries of origin&nbsp;or look for safe havens in regions like Southeast Asia, if they lose Mosul to the Iraqi forces.&nbsp;

&quot;We have to be very proactive,&quot; he was quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama.

Authorities in Muslim-majority Malaysia have been on high alert since eight people were injured when two IS supporters threw a grenade into a bar on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, the first successful attack by the group in Malaysia.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

This comes after intelligence report said IS members would return to their home countries or hide in Southeast Asia if they lost Mosul

Malaysia is stepping up security at its borders to prevent Malaysian militant fighters from trickling into the country as Iraqi forces launch an offensive to take back Mosul, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on Tuesday. Ahmad Zahid told a press conference that security at the Malaysian airport and the border has been increased, and illegal routes are being monitored. "We have been exchanging intel with international intelligence agencies, and we have a suspect list which includes names of those we believe have ties with Daesh (Islamic State)," he said, Reuters reported. Zahid did not mention the number of Malaysians currently in Mosul but according to Reuters, police figures released last month showed that 90 Malaysians had joined IS in Syria and Iraq since 2013. In August, Malaysia revoked passports of 68 Malaysians who had left the country to join IS. Deputy PM Zahid said that if the fighters return home, they would be detained and sent for deradicalisation. So far, 137 Malaysians have been arrested for either planning to join IS overseas, returning to Malaysia after joining the group or sending funds to the group, he added. The country’s defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein had said on Monday that intelligence sources suggested that thousands of IS members would make their way back to their countries of origin or look for safe havens in regions like Southeast Asia, if they lose Mosul to the Iraqi forces. "We have to be very proactive," he was quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama. Authorities in Muslim-majority Malaysia have been on high alert since eight people were injured when two IS supporters threw a grenade into a bar on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, the first successful attack by the group in Malaysia. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Malaysia shores up security as Mosul offensive sparks fear of militant influx