Several rockets were launched on Thursday and Friday against bases hosting troops from the US-led anti-jihadist coalition in Iraq and Syria, security officials and a war monitor said.

Several rockets were launched on Thursday and Friday against bases hosting troops from the US-led anti-jihadist coalition in Iraq and Syria, security officials and a war monitor said. Such attacks were frequent early in the war between Israel and Hamas Palestinian militants in Gaza but since then have largely halted. "Four rockets fell in the vicinity" of Ain al-Assad base in Anbar province, an Iraqi security source said. Another security official said an attack occurred with "a drone and three rockets" that fell close to the base perimeter. A United States official said initial reports indicated that projectiles landed outside the base without causing injuries or damage to the base. All sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to speak to the media. At least one rocket also fell near a base of the coalition in the Conoco gas field in Deir Ezzor province of eastern Syria, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor. The Observatory said a blast was heard in the area but there were no immediate reports of casualties. The rocket was fired from "zones under the control of pro-Iranian militia" groups, said the monitor which relies on sources inside Syria. Watch | US urges Israel to think of a 'realistic truce plan', Hamas says 'Netanyahu stalling ceasefire deal' × There was no immediate claim of responsibility for either attack. Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq have largely halted similar attacks on US-backed troops in recent months. The latest attack come after a security meeting this week between Iraqi and US officials in Washington on the future of the international anti-jihadist coalition in Iraq. Iran-backed groups have demanded a withdrawal. The US Defense Department said Wednesday "the delegations reached an understanding on the concept for a new phase of the bilateral security relationship". This would include "cooperation through liaison officers, training, and traditional security cooperation programmes". On July 16, two drones were launched against Ain al-Assad base, with one exploding inside without causing injuries or damage. A senior security official in Baghdad said at the time he believed the attack was meant to "embarrass" the Iraqi government before the security meeting. For more than three months, as regional tensions soared over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, United States troops were targeted by rockets and drones more than 175 times in the Middle East, mainly in Iraq and Syria. The Islamic Resistance of Iraq, a loose alliance of Iran-backed groups, claimed the majority of the attacks, saying they were in solidarity with Gaza Palestinians. Also read: Kamala Harris crashes RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Finale to remind viewers to register to vote: Watch In January, a drone strike blamed on those groups killed three US soldiers in a base in Jordan. In retaliation, US forces launched dozens of strikes against Tehran-backed fighters. Since then, attacks against US troops have largely halted. Baghdad has sought to defuse tensions, engaging in talks with Washington on the future of the US-led coalition's mission in Iraq. The US military has around 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria with the international coalition. The coalition was deployed to Iraq at the government's request in 2014 to help combat the Islamic State group, which had taken over vast swathes of Iraq and neighbouring Syria. IS remnants still carry out attacks and ambushes in both countries. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Rockets target US-led coalition bases in Iraq and Syria

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's office on Friday (Jan 5) said that the government is beginning the process to end the presence of US-led international coalition forces in the country.

The United States has deployed over 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq as a part of a mission which as per Washington is targeted to advise and assist local forces trying to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State.

"Government is setting the date for the start of the bilateral committee to put arrangements to end the presence of the international coalition forces in Iraq permanently," a statement from the prime minister's office said. &nbsp;

The committee would comprise of members from the military coalition, said a government official.

"We stress our firm position in ending the existence of the international coalition after the justifications for its existence have ended," Sudani was quoted as saying in the statement.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-intel-confirms-islamic-states-afghanistan-branch-behind-iran-blasts-report-677056">US intel confirms Islamic State's Afghanistan branch behind Iran blasts: Report</a>

<h2>US military launches retaliatory strike in Baghdad</h2>

Sudani's statement comes a day after a US strike killed a military commander of Iraq's pro-Iran Hashed &nbsp;al-Shaabi force in Baghdad, who as per Washington, was "actively involved in planning and carrying out attacks" against US forces.

"And finally, I can confirm that on January 4 at approximately 12 PM Iraq time, U.S. forces took necessary and proportionate action against Mushtaq Jawad Kazim al-Jawari (a.k.a Abu-Taqwa), who was a Harakat-al-Nujaba leader. Abu-Taqwa was actively involved in planning and carrying out attacks against American personnel," Pentagon Spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said in a media briefing.

"The strike also killed another Han member. It is important to note that the strike was taken in self-defence, that no civilians were harmed, and that no infrastructure or facilities were struck," he added.

As per police and militia sources, the missiles hit a car inside Nujaba'a headquarters, killing four people including the group’s local commander and an assistant.

The Iraqi government, condemning the US-led anti-jihadist coalition for the strike and&nbsp;called it "a blatant aggression" as well as "a dangerous escalation and assault".

"The Iraqi armed forces hold the forces of the international coalition responsible for this attack," Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani's office said in a statement.&nbsp;

<h2>Attacks against US targets</h2>

Washington has till now come under attack at least 100 times since the war broke out between US ally Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Out of these assaults, many have been claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which is a loose alliance of Iran-linked armed groups that oppose US backing for Israel in the Gaza war.

(With inputs from agencies)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's office on Friday (Jan 5) said that the government is beginning the process to end the presence of US-led international coalition forces in the country.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's office on Friday (Jan 5) said that the government is beginning the process to end the presence of US-led international coalition forces in the country. The United States has deployed over 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq as a part of a mission which as per Washington is targeted to advise and assist local forces trying to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State. "Government is setting the date for the start of the bilateral committee to put arrangements to end the presence of the international coalition forces in Iraq permanently," a statement from the prime minister's office said. The committee would comprise of members from the military coalition, said a government official. "We stress our firm position in ending the existence of the international coalition after the justifications for its existence have ended," Sudani was quoted as saying in the statement. Also read: US intel confirms Islamic State's Afghanistan branch behind Iran blasts: Report US military launches retaliatory strike in Baghdad Sudani's statement comes a day after a US strike killed a military commander of Iraq's pro-Iran Hashed al-Shaabi force in Baghdad, who as per Washington, was "actively involved in planning and carrying out attacks" against US forces. "And finally, I can confirm that on January 4 at approximately 12 PM Iraq time, U.S. forces took necessary and proportionate action against Mushtaq Jawad Kazim al-Jawari (a.k.a Abu-Taqwa), who was a Harakat-al-Nujaba leader. Abu-Taqwa was actively involved in planning and carrying out attacks against American personnel," Pentagon Spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said in a media briefing. "The strike also killed another Han member. It is important to note that the strike was taken in self-defence, that no civilians were harmed, and that no infrastructure or facilities were struck," he added. As per police and militia sources, the missiles hit a car inside Nujaba'a headquarters, killing four people including the group’s local commander and an assistant. The Iraqi government, condemning the US-led anti-jihadist coalition for the strike and called it "a blatant aggression" as well as "a dangerous escalation and assault". "The Iraqi armed forces hold the forces of the international coalition responsible for this attack," Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani's office said in a statement. Attacks against US targets Washington has till now come under attack at least 100 times since the war broke out between US ally Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Out of these assaults, many have been claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which is a loose alliance of Iran-linked armed groups that oppose US backing for Israel in the Gaza war. (With inputs from agencies)

Iraq preparing to end presence of US-led coalition, says PM Mohamed Shia al-Sudani

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi made a formal request to parliament on Saturday to fire the governor of Niniveh province where <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/almost-100-dead-as-overloaded-ferry-sinks-in-iraqs-tigris-river-204757">100 people were killed in a ferry capsize</a>.

Most of those killed in Thursday's sinking on the Tigris River were women and children headed out of Iraq's second city Mosul for a Mother's Day picnic on the Kurds' Nowruz New Year holiday.

In a letter to the speaker of parliament, Abdel Mahdi said there was clear evidence of "negligence and concrete failings" that merited a vote on dismissing governor Nawfel Akoub.

"An ongoing investigation has found evidence of the misuse of public funds and the fraudulent abuse of his office," the prime minister alleged.

Akoub has already been subjected to the anger of victims' relatives and their supporters over alleged corruption and cronyism.

When he visited the scene of the tragedy on Friday stones were thrown at his convoy by protesters demonstrating against perceived corruption and neglect.

There is widespread anger in Mosul at the slow pace of reconstruction since the city's recapture from the Islamic State group in 2017 by Iraqi troops backed by a US-led coalition.

The city still bears the scars of three years of iron-fisted rule by the jihadists who made it their "caliphate's" de facto capital.

Survivors of Thursday's disaster were treated in hospitals heavily damaged by the months-long military campaign against IS.

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi made a formal request to parliament on Saturday to fire the governor of Niniveh province where 100 people were killed in a ferry capsize.

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi made a formal request to parliament on Saturday to fire the governor of Niniveh province where 100 people were killed in a ferry capsize. Most of those killed in Thursday's sinking on the Tigris River were women and children headed out of Iraq's second city Mosul for a Mother's Day picnic on the Kurds' Nowruz New Year holiday. In a letter to the speaker of parliament, Abdel Mahdi said there was clear evidence of "negligence and concrete failings" that merited a vote on dismissing governor Nawfel Akoub. "An ongoing investigation has found evidence of the misuse of public funds and the fraudulent abuse of his office," the prime minister alleged. Akoub has already been subjected to the anger of victims' relatives and their supporters over alleged corruption and cronyism. When he visited the scene of the tragedy on Friday stones were thrown at his convoy by protesters demonstrating against perceived corruption and neglect. There is widespread anger in Mosul at the slow pace of reconstruction since the city's recapture from the Islamic State group in 2017 by Iraqi troops backed by a US-led coalition. The city still bears the scars of three years of iron-fisted rule by the jihadists who made it their "caliphate's" de facto capital. Survivors of Thursday's disaster were treated in hospitals heavily damaged by the months-long military campaign against IS.

Iraq PM asks MPs to fire governor over deadly ferry capsize

The US-led coalition battling Islamic State added to confusion surrounding the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-syria-pullout-spurs-need-for-kurds-and-damascus-to-talk-russia-189639">US withdrawal from Syria</a> on Friday by declaring that it had started the pullout process but US&nbsp;officials later clarified that only equipment, not troops, had exited the country.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's announcement last month that he had decided to withdraw the 2,000 US&nbsp;troops there stunned allies who have joined Washington in the battle against Islamic State militants in Syria. Senior US&nbsp;officials were shocked too, among them Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who quit in protest.

US&nbsp;Colonel Sean Ryan, a coalition spokesman, said the coalition "has begun the process of our deliberate withdrawal from Syria."

"Out of concern for operational security, we will not discuss specific timelines, locations or troop movements," Ryan said.

After media reports suggesting the departure of US&nbsp;forces had begun, US&nbsp;officials told Reuters that no troops had yet withdrawn and stressed that the battle against Islamic State was continuing as US-backed forces try to capture the group's last remaining pockets of territory in Syria. The three US&nbsp;officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.

But the US&nbsp;officials confirmed that equipment was being moved out of Syria, a sign that despite mixed messages from Washington preparations for a withdrawal of troops was proceeding apace.

Residents near border crossings that are typically used by US&nbsp;forces going in and out of Syria from Iraq said they had seen no obvious or large-scale movement of US&nbsp;ground forces on Friday.

Syria upheaval

The US&nbsp;decision has injected new uncertainties into the eight-year-long Syrian war and spurred a flurry of contacts over how a resulting security vacuum will be filled across a swathe of northern and eastern Syria where the US&nbsp;forces are stationed.

On the one hand, Turkey aims to pursue a campaign against Kurdish forces that have allied with the United States, and on the other the Russia- and Iran-backed Syrian government sees the chance to recover a huge chunk of territory.

US National Security Adviser John Bolton suggested on Tuesday that protecting Washington's Kurdish allies would be a precondition of the US&nbsp;withdrawal. That drew a rebuke from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan who called his comments "a serious mistake".

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has been touring the Middle East this week to reassure allies of Washington's commitment to regional security, said on Thursday the withdrawal would not be scuppered despite the Turkish threats.

The Kurdish groups that control the north have turned to Moscow and Damascus in the hope of striking a political deal that will stave off Turkey and shield their autonomy in the north.

Russia, which has deployed forces into Syria in support of the Damascus government, said it had the impression that the United States wanted to stay despite the announced withdrawal of US&nbsp;troops, RIA news agency reported.

Russia urges Damascus-Kurdish dialogue

Maria Zakharova, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said it was important for Syrian Kurds and the Syrian government to start talking to each other in light of the US&nbsp;withdrawal plans.

She also said the territory previously controlled by the United States should be transferred to the Syrian government.

"In this regard, establishing a dialogue between the Kurds and Damascus takes on particular significance. After all, the Kurds are an integral part of Syrian society," Zakharova said.

Turkey views the US-backed YPG Syrian Kurdish militia as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged a 34-year insurgency in Turkey for Kurdish political and cultural rights, mostly in southeastern areas near Syria.

A Kurdish politician told Reuters last week the Kurds had presented Moscow with a road-map for a deal with Damascus. Syria's deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday he was optimistic about renewed dialogue with the Kurds.

Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian of France, which is part of the US-led coalition, welcomed what he believed was a slower withdrawal by the United States after pressure from its allies.

"President Macron spoke to him (Trump) several times and it seems that there has been a change that I think is positive," he said in a television interview on Thursday.

In a rare acknowledgement that French troops were also in Syria, he said they would leave when there is a political solution in the country. 
&nbsp;

The US-led coalition battling Islamic State added to confusion surrounding the US withdrawal from Syria on Friday by declaring that it had started the pullout process but US officials later clarified that only equipment, not troops, had exited the country.

The US-led coalition battling Islamic State added to confusion surrounding the US withdrawal from Syria on Friday by declaring that it had started the pullout process but US officials later clarified that only equipment, not troops, had exited the country. US President Donald Trump's announcement last month that he had decided to withdraw the 2,000 US troops there stunned allies who have joined Washington in the battle against Islamic State militants in Syria. Senior US officials were shocked too, among them Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who quit in protest. US Colonel Sean Ryan, a coalition spokesman, said the coalition "has begun the process of our deliberate withdrawal from Syria." "Out of concern for operational security, we will not discuss specific timelines, locations or troop movements," Ryan said. After media reports suggesting the departure of US forces had begun, US officials told Reuters that no troops had yet withdrawn and stressed that the battle against Islamic State was continuing as US-backed forces try to capture the group's last remaining pockets of territory in Syria. The three US officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. But the US officials confirmed that equipment was being moved out of Syria, a sign that despite mixed messages from Washington preparations for a withdrawal of troops was proceeding apace. Residents near border crossings that are typically used by US forces going in and out of Syria from Iraq said they had seen no obvious or large-scale movement of US ground forces on Friday. Syria upheaval The US decision has injected new uncertainties into the eight-year-long Syrian war and spurred a flurry of contacts over how a resulting security vacuum will be filled across a swathe of northern and eastern Syria where the US forces are stationed. On the one hand, Turkey aims to pursue a campaign against Kurdish forces that have allied with the United States, and on the other the Russia- and Iran-backed Syrian government sees the chance to recover a huge chunk of territory. US National Security Adviser John Bolton suggested on Tuesday that protecting Washington's Kurdish allies would be a precondition of the US withdrawal. That drew a rebuke from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan who called his comments "a serious mistake". US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has been touring the Middle East this week to reassure allies of Washington's commitment to regional security, said on Thursday the withdrawal would not be scuppered despite the Turkish threats. The Kurdish groups that control the north have turned to Moscow and Damascus in the hope of striking a political deal that will stave off Turkey and shield their autonomy in the north. Russia, which has deployed forces into Syria in support of the Damascus government, said it had the impression that the United States wanted to stay despite the announced withdrawal of US troops, RIA news agency reported. Russia urges Damascus-Kurdish dialogue Maria Zakharova, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said it was important for Syrian Kurds and the Syrian government to start talking to each other in light of the US withdrawal plans. She also said the territory previously controlled by the United States should be transferred to the Syrian government. "In this regard, establishing a dialogue between the Kurds and Damascus takes on particular significance. After all, the Kurds are an integral part of Syrian society," Zakharova said. Turkey views the US-backed YPG Syrian Kurdish militia as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged a 34-year insurgency in Turkey for Kurdish political and cultural rights, mostly in southeastern areas near Syria. A Kurdish politician told Reuters last week the Kurds had presented Moscow with a road-map for a deal with Damascus. Syria's deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday he was optimistic about renewed dialogue with the Kurds. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian of France, which is part of the US-led coalition, welcomed what he believed was a slower withdrawal by the United States after pressure from its allies. "President Macron spoke to him (Trump) several times and it seems that there has been a change that I think is positive," he said in a television interview on Thursday. In a rare acknowledgement that French troops were also in Syria, he said they would leave when there is a political solution in the country.

US-led coalition withdrawing 'only equipment, not troops' from Syria: Officials

Saudi Arabia would be prepared to send troops into Syria as part of the US-led coalition if a decision was taken to widen it, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Tuesday.

"We are in discussion with the US and have been since the beginning of the Syrian crisis about sending forces into Syria," Jubeir told a news conference in Riyadh with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.&nbsp

He said Riyadh had expressed its readiness while Barack Obama was US President to send ground forces into Syria if the United States were to add an on-the-ground component to the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State insurgents.&nbsp

Jubeir was responding to a question about a Wall Street Journal report that the administration of US President Donald Trump is seeking to assemble an Arab force to replace the US military contingent in Syria.

"There are discussions regarding ... what kind of force needs to remain in eastern Syria and where that force would come from, and those discussions are ongoing," Jubeir said.

Trump wants to bring US troops home from Syria but has not set a timeline, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Monday, two days after Western allies bombed Syrian targets over a suspected chemical weapons attack.

One US official told Reuters the United States is looking at what forces might be able to follow on in areas of Syria formerly under Islamic State control, should the United States leave or reduce its force dramatically. But no decisions have been made to do this.

Before the Western military strikes took place, Saudi Arabia`s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had said that the kingdom, a key US ally, could take part in military action in Syria.

While some commentators have assumed that Saudi Arabia is fully preoccupied with a three-year-old war in Yemen, Riyadh has suggested it could help counter-terrorism operations in some other theatres of conflict as part of a wider Muslim alliance.

For example, a Saudi-backed Islamic military coalition will provide logistical, intelligence and training to a new West African counter-terrorism force, Jubeir said in December.&nbsp

About 40 Muslim-majority nations met in Riyadh at the end of November to flesh out details of an alliance first conceived two years ago by Prince Mohammed that is widely seen as a vehicle for countering the growing influence of Riyadh’s rival.Iran.&nbsp

Saudi Arabia would be prepared to send troops into Syria as part of the US-led coalition if a decision was taken to widen it, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Tuesday

Saudi Arabia would be prepared to send troops into Syria as part of the US-led coalition if a decision was taken to widen it, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Tuesday. "We are in discussion with the US and have been since the beginning of the Syrian crisis about sending forces into Syria," Jubeir told a news conference in Riyadh with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. He said Riyadh had expressed its readiness while Barack Obama was US President to send ground forces into Syria if the United States were to add an on-the-ground component to the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State insurgents. Jubeir was responding to a question about a Wall Street Journal report that the administration of US President Donald Trump is seeking to assemble an Arab force to replace the US military contingent in Syria. "There are discussions regarding ... what kind of force needs to remain in eastern Syria and where that force would come from, and those discussions are ongoing," Jubeir said. Trump wants to bring US troops home from Syria but has not set a timeline, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Monday, two days after Western allies bombed Syrian targets over a suspected chemical weapons attack. One US official told Reuters the United States is looking at what forces might be able to follow on in areas of Syria formerly under Islamic State control, should the United States leave or reduce its force dramatically. But no decisions have been made to do this. Before the Western military strikes took place, Saudi Arabia`s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had said that the kingdom, a key US ally, could take part in military action in Syria. While some commentators have assumed that Saudi Arabia is fully preoccupied with a three-year-old war in Yemen, Riyadh has suggested it could help counter-terrorism operations in some other theatres of conflict as part of a wider Muslim alliance. For example, a Saudi-backed Islamic military coalition will provide logistical, intelligence and training to a new West African counter-terrorism force, Jubeir said in December. About 40 Muslim-majority nations met in Riyadh at the end of November to flesh out details of an alliance first conceived two years ago by Prince Mohammed that is widely seen as a vehicle for countering the growing influence of Riyadh’s rival.Iran.

Saudi Arabia says open to sending troops to Syria under wider coalition

Dawn air strikes on a Syrian border town in the Islamic State-held eastern province of Deir al-Zor killed 23 people, most of them civilians, a war monitoring group said on Monday.&nbsp;

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said jets thought to belong to the US-led coalition hit the town of Al-Bukamal near the border with Iraq. The warplanes struck near a residential area and a mosque, wounding dozens more, the Britain-based monitor said.&nbsp;

The Islamic State-linked media outlet Amaq said coalition strikes killed 15 people and wounded 35 others in Al-Bukamal.

A spokesman for the US-led coalition against Islamic State could not immediately be reached for comment.

Islamic State holds most of Deir al-Zor province, apart from an enclave at the centre and a nearby air base that Syrian government forces control. The province links territory Islamic State militants control in Syria and Iraq.&nbsp;

The United States military has said it makes &quot;extraordinary efforts&quot; to avoid civilian deaths in its air strikes in Syria and Iraq.&nbsp;

(Reutters)

US-led air strikes target Islamic State in eastern Syria, kill 23: Monitor

Dawn air strikes on a Syrian border town in the Islamic State-held eastern province of Deir al-Zor killed 23 people, most of them civilians, a war monitoring group said on Monday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said jets thought to belong to the US-led coalition hit the town of Al-Bukamal near the border with Iraq. The warplanes struck near a residential area and a mosque, wounding dozens more, the Britain-based monitor said. The Islamic State-linked media outlet Amaq said coalition strikes killed 15 people and wounded 35 others in Al-Bukamal. A spokesman for the US-led coalition against Islamic State could not immediately be reached for comment. Islamic State holds most of Deir al-Zor province, apart from an enclave at the centre and a nearby air base that Syrian government forces control. The province links territory Islamic State militants control in Syria and Iraq. The United States military has said it makes "extraordinary efforts" to avoid civilian deaths in its air strikes in Syria and Iraq. (Reutters)

More than 300,000 people have fled Mosul since the start of the US-backed campaign to dislodge Islamic State from the northern Iraqi city in October, the United Nations said on Tuesday.

The United Nations&#39; International Organisation for Migration estimates the number of people currently displaced to be 302,400, the office of the UN&nbsp;Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq said in a statement.

Iraqi forces, backed by a US-led coalition, have taken most districts of Mosul, Islamic State&#39;s last major stronghold in Iraq and the city where the group&#39;s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declared a caliphate nearly three years ago.

They are now battling to take the northwestern part from Islamic State but the civilian death toll has mounted in the densely populated Old City, where the militants are dug in amongst residents.

More people are expected to flee the fighting and camps for the displaced north and east of Mosul are expanding, the UN&nbsp;statement said.

(Reuters)

Iraqi forces, backed by a US-led coalition, have taken most districts of Mosul, Islamic State's last major stronghold in Iraq

More than 300,000 people have fled Mosul since the start of the US-backed campaign to dislodge Islamic State from the northern Iraqi city in October, the United Nations said on Tuesday. The United Nations' International Organisation for Migration estimates the number of people currently displaced to be 302,400, the office of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq said in a statement. Iraqi forces, backed by a US-led coalition, have taken most districts of Mosul, Islamic State's last major stronghold in Iraq and the city where the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declared a caliphate nearly three years ago. They are now battling to take the northwestern part from Islamic State but the civilian death toll has mounted in the densely populated Old City, where the militants are dug in amongst residents. More people are expected to flee the fighting and camps for the displaced north and east of Mosul are expanding, the UN statement said. (Reuters)

Number of people displaced from Mosul exceeds 300,000: United Nations

The US-led anti-jihadist coalition said Tuesday it &quot;probably&quot; played a role in civilian casualties in west Mosul, as the UN and Amnesty International called for greater efforts to protect civilians.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians are still inside west Mosul, caught up in deadly fighting between the Islamic State (IS) group and Iraqi forces who are backed by coalition air strikes in the battle to retake the area from the jihadists.

West Mosul is both smaller and more densely populated than the city&#39;s east, meaning that this stage of the battle poses a greater danger to civilians than those that came before.

&quot;We probably had a role in those casualties,&quot; Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, the commander of the US-led operation against IS, told reporters in a phone briefing from Baghdad, referring to civilians killed and wounded by aerial bombing in west Mosul.

&quot;If those innocents were killed, it was an unintentional accident of war,&quot; he said.

Townsend described the fighting in the narrow streets of Iraq&#39;s second city as the &quot;most significant urban combat&quot; since World War II and &quot;probably the toughest and most brutal close-quarters combat that I have experienced in my 35 years of service&quot;.

The coalition had previously said it carried out a strike on March 17 in an area of west Mosul in which civilian casualties were reported, and that it had opened an investigation.

Iraq is also investigating civilian deaths in west Mosul, but has sought to place the blame on IS.

UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said Tuesday that more than 300 civilians have been killed in west Mosul since February 17.

IS has targeted civilians and used them as human shields, while strikes by anti-IS forces have also left civilians dead.

UN human rights chief Zeid Ra&#39;ad Al Hussein called on Iraqi and US-led coalition forces &quot;to undertake an urgent review of tactics to ensure that the impact on civilians is reduced to an absolute minimum&quot;.

IS&#39;s &quot;strategy of using children, men and women to shield themselves from attack is cowardly and disgraceful. It breaches the most basic standards of human dignity and morality,&quot; he said.

Amnesty&#39;s Donatella Rovera said field research in east Mosul -- which was recaptured from IS in January -- showed &quot;an alarming pattern of US-led coalition air strikes which have destroyed whole houses with entire families inside&quot;.

&nbsp;

Jihadists deployed among civilians

&quot;The high civilian toll suggests that coalition forces... have failed to take adequate precautions to prevent civilian deaths, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law,&quot; she said.

In the east, the Iraqi forces adopted a strategy of encouraging civilians to stay at home, dropping leaflets into the city with safety instructions for residents.

&quot;The fact that Iraqi authorities repeatedly advised civilians to remain at home instead of fleeing the area, indicates that coalition forces should have known that these strikes were likely to result in a significant numbers of civilian casualties,&quot; Rovera said.

Amnesty quoted Waad Ahmad al-Tai, an east Mosul resident, as saying six members of his extended family -- including his nine-year-old son and three-year-old daughter -- were killed after they followed government advice not to flee the city.

&quot;We heard these instructions on the radio...Also leaflets were dropped by planes. This is why we stayed in our homes,&quot; he said.

Amnesty said that, in many cases it investigated, east Mosul residents said IS fighters had been present in or near houses targeted in the strikes.

In one case, five members of a family and their neighbour were killed in a raid on a house where IS fighters were hiding but the jihadists survived that attack, Amnesty quoted survivors as saying. That pattern has also been repeated in west Mosul, according to witnesses.

Two witnesses who have now fled the city said that a building with around 170 people inside was destroyed in the Mosul al-Jadida area.

One of them said that IS snipers had fired on Iraqi forces, after which an aircraft targeted them with a missile. Another man said that IS placed snipers atop a house where he was residing with more than 20 relatives.

He was told that an air strike hit the house, an attack he survived because he was away at the time.

More than 200,000 civilians have fled west Mosul since the battle for the area began, according to Iraqi authorities.

(AFP)

West Mosul is smaller and more densely populated than the city's east, meaning this stage of the battle poses a greater danger to civilians

The US-led anti-jihadist coalition said Tuesday it "probably" played a role in civilian casualties in west Mosul, as the UN and Amnesty International called for greater efforts to protect civilians. Hundreds of thousands of civilians are still inside west Mosul, caught up in deadly fighting between the Islamic State (IS) group and Iraqi forces who are backed by coalition air strikes in the battle to retake the area from the jihadists. West Mosul is both smaller and more densely populated than the city's east, meaning that this stage of the battle poses a greater danger to civilians than those that came before. "We probably had a role in those casualties," Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, the commander of the US-led operation against IS, told reporters in a phone briefing from Baghdad, referring to civilians killed and wounded by aerial bombing in west Mosul. "If those innocents were killed, it was an unintentional accident of war," he said. Townsend described the fighting in the narrow streets of Iraq's second city as the "most significant urban combat" since World War II and "probably the toughest and most brutal close-quarters combat that I have experienced in my 35 years of service". The coalition had previously said it carried out a strike on March 17 in an area of west Mosul in which civilian casualties were reported, and that it had opened an investigation. Iraq is also investigating civilian deaths in west Mosul, but has sought to place the blame on IS. UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said Tuesday that more than 300 civilians have been killed in west Mosul since February 17. IS has targeted civilians and used them as human shields, while strikes by anti-IS forces have also left civilians dead. UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein called on Iraqi and US-led coalition forces "to undertake an urgent review of tactics to ensure that the impact on civilians is reduced to an absolute minimum". IS's "strategy of using children, men and women to shield themselves from attack is cowardly and disgraceful. It breaches the most basic standards of human dignity and morality," he said. Amnesty's Donatella Rovera said field research in east Mosul -- which was recaptured from IS in January -- showed "an alarming pattern of US-led coalition air strikes which have destroyed whole houses with entire families inside". Jihadists deployed among civilians "The high civilian toll suggests that coalition forces... have failed to take adequate precautions to prevent civilian deaths, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law," she said. In the east, the Iraqi forces adopted a strategy of encouraging civilians to stay at home, dropping leaflets into the city with safety instructions for residents. "The fact that Iraqi authorities repeatedly advised civilians to remain at home instead of fleeing the area, indicates that coalition forces should have known that these strikes were likely to result in a significant numbers of civilian casualties," Rovera said. Amnesty quoted Waad Ahmad al-Tai, an east Mosul resident, as saying six members of his extended family -- including his nine-year-old son and three-year-old daughter -- were killed after they followed government advice not to flee the city. "We heard these instructions on the radio...Also leaflets were dropped by planes. This is why we stayed in our homes," he said. Amnesty said that, in many cases it investigated, east Mosul residents said IS fighters had been present in or near houses targeted in the strikes. In one case, five members of a family and their neighbour were killed in a raid on a house where IS fighters were hiding but the jihadists survived that attack, Amnesty quoted survivors as saying. That pattern has also been repeated in west Mosul, according to witnesses. Two witnesses who have now fled the city said that a building with around 170 people inside was destroyed in the Mosul al-Jadida area. One of them said that IS snipers had fired on Iraqi forces, after which an aircraft targeted them with a missile. Another man said that IS placed snipers atop a house where he was residing with more than 20 relatives. He was told that an air strike hit the house, an attack he survived because he was away at the time. More than 200,000 civilians have fled west Mosul since the battle for the area began, according to Iraqi authorities. (AFP)

US-led coalition 'probably' had role in Mosul civilian casualties

Iraqi&#39;s military said on Sunday 61 bodies had been recovered from a collapsed building that was boobytrapped by Islamic State (IS) in Western Mosul, but there was no sign it had been hit by a coalition strike though a large vehicle bomb was discovered nearby.

The statement was a response to reports by eyewitnesses and local officials that as many as 200 bodies had been pulled from a collapsed building after a coalition strike last week targeted IS militants and equipment in al Jadida district area.

The incident remains far from clear and details are difficult to confirm as Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State to recapture the densely populated parts of the western half of Mosul, the militant group&#39;s last stronghold in Iraq.

The US-led coalition on Saturday said it carried out a strike on Islamic State militants and equipment in the area of the reported deaths, but it was still investigating. It did not give figures for any casualties or details on targets.

The Iraqi military command said eyewitnesses had told troops that the buildings were boobytrapped and militants had forced residents inside basements to use them as human shields. IS militants had also fired on troops from those houses, it said.

But its figures were lower than other local officials. A local municipal official said on Saturday, 240 bodies had been pulled from the rubble. A local lawmaker and two eyewitnesses say a coalition air strike may have targeted a large truck bomb, triggering a blast that collapsed buildings.

The incident has highlighted the complexity of fighting around Western Mosul&#39;s Old City, where Islamic State are hiding among families and using the narrow streets and alleys to their advantage, forcing Iraqi forces into street fighting.

(Reuters)

Iraq's military says there was no sign the building had been hit by a coalition strike, though a large vehicle bomb was discovered nearby

Iraqi's military said on Sunday 61 bodies had been recovered from a collapsed building that was boobytrapped by Islamic State (IS) in Western Mosul, but there was no sign it had been hit by a coalition strike though a large vehicle bomb was discovered nearby. The statement was a response to reports by eyewitnesses and local officials that as many as 200 bodies had been pulled from a collapsed building after a coalition strike last week targeted IS militants and equipment in al Jadida district area. The incident remains far from clear and details are difficult to confirm as Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State to recapture the densely populated parts of the western half of Mosul, the militant group's last stronghold in Iraq. The US-led coalition on Saturday said it carried out a strike on Islamic State militants and equipment in the area of the reported deaths, but it was still investigating. It did not give figures for any casualties or details on targets. The Iraqi military command said eyewitnesses had told troops that the buildings were boobytrapped and militants had forced residents inside basements to use them as human shields. IS militants had also fired on troops from those houses, it said. But its figures were lower than other local officials. A local municipal official said on Saturday, 240 bodies had been pulled from the rubble. A local lawmaker and two eyewitnesses say a coalition air strike may have targeted a large truck bomb, triggering a blast that collapsed buildings. The incident has highlighted the complexity of fighting around Western Mosul's Old City, where Islamic State are hiding among families and using the narrow streets and alleys to their advantage, forcing Iraqi forces into street fighting. (Reuters)

61 bodies pulled from collapsed Mosul site, says Iraqi military

The US&nbsp;military said on Saturday a US-led coalition strike had hit an Islamic State-held area of the Iraqi city of Mosul where residents and officials say dozens of civilians have been killed as result of an air raid.

The incident occurred on March 17 but what exactly happened is still unclear as IS militants fight to defend the areas of the city they still control.

Iraqi government forces paused in their push to recapture western Mosul on Saturday because of the high rate of civilian casualties, a security forces spokesman said, a move apparently motivated by the incident.

The United Nations also expressed its profound concern, saying it was &quot;stunned by this terrible loss of life&quot;.

Initial reports from residents and Iraqi officials in the past week said dozens of people had been killed or wounded in Mosul&#39;s al-Jadidah district after air strikes by Iraqi or US-led coalition forces.

US&nbsp;Central Command, which oversees US&nbsp;military Middle East operations, said on Saturday that a review had determined that US-led coalition operation, requested by the Iraqi government, had struck Islamic State fighters and equipment &quot;at the location corresponding to allegations of civilian casualties&quot;.

It was investigating to determine the facts and the validity of reports of civilian casualties, it said. It did not specify which coalition nation carried out the strike.

Reports on the numbers of civilian dead and wounded have varied but Civil Defence chief Brigadier Mohammed Al-Jawari told reporters on Thursday that rescue teams had recovered 40 bodies from collapsed buildings. Many other lay buried in the rubble.

The exact cause of the collapses was not clear but a local lawmaker and two residents said on Thursday the air strikes may have detonated an IS truck filled with explosives, destroying buildings in the heavily-populated area.

The speaker of the Iraqi parliament, Salim al-Jabouri, said in a statement: &quot;What&#39;s happening in the west part of Mosul is extremely serious and could not be tolerated under any circumstances.&quot;

Up to 600,000 civilians are still believed to remain in IS-held areas of Mosul, complicating the government offensive tactically but also politically as the Shi&#39;ite Muslim-led government seeks to avoid alienating people in the mainly Sunni city.

&nbsp;

NEW TACTICS

Residents escaping besieged western Mosul have told of Iraqi and US-led coalition air strikes demolishing buildings and killing civilians in several cases.

The insurgents have also used civilians as human shields and opened fire on them as they try to escape Islamic State-held neighbourhoods, fleeing residents said.

&quot;The recent high death toll among civilians inside the Old City forced us to halt operations to review our plans,&quot; a Federal Police spokesman said on Saturday. &quot;It&#39;s a time for weighing new offensive plans and tactics. No combat operations are to go on.&quot;

The US-backed offensive to drive Islamic State out of Mosul, now in its sixth month, has recaptured the entire eastern side of Mosul and about half of the west.

But advances have stuttered in the last two weeks as fighting enters the narrow alleys of the Old City, home to the al-Nuri mosque where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared a caliphate spanning large areas of Iraq and Syria in 2014.

&quot;We need to make sure that taking out Daesh (Islamic State) from the Old City will not cost unwanted high casualties among civilians. We need surgical accurate operations to target terrorists without causing collateral damage among residents,&quot; the Federal Police spokesman said.

A US&nbsp;deputy commanding general for the coalition told Reuters on Friday that the solution could lie in a change of tactics. The Iraqi military is assessing opening up another front and isolating the Old City, US&nbsp;Army Brigadier General John Richardson said.

Fleeing residents have described grim living conditions inside IS-held parts of Mosul, saying there was no running water or electricity and no food coming in.

But families are streaming out of the northern city, Iraq&#39;s second largest, in their thousands each day, headed for cold, crowded camps or to stay with relatives. Hunger and fighting are making life unbearable inside.

The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights said that since the campaign on western Mosul began on February&nbsp;19, unconfirmed reports said nearly 700 civilians had been killed by government and coalition air strikes or Islamic State actions.

The militants have used car bombs, snipers and mortar fire to counter the offensive. They have also stationed themselves in homes belonging to Mosul residents to fire at Iraqi troops, often drawing air or artillery strikes that have killed civilians.

The United Nations chief humanitarian official, Lise Grande, said civilians were at extreme risk as the fighting intensified and all sides must to do their utmost to avoid such casualties.

&quot;International humanitarian law is clear. Parties to the conflict &mdash; all parties &ndash; are obliged to do everything possible to protect civilians. This means that combatants cannot use people as human shields and cannot imperil lives through indiscriminate use of fire-power,&quot; she said in a statement.

(Reuters)

Air strikes may have detonated an IS truck filled with explosives, destroying buildings in the heavily-populated area

The US military said on Saturday a US-led coalition strike had hit an Islamic State-held area of the Iraqi city of Mosul where residents and officials say dozens of civilians have been killed as result of an air raid. The incident occurred on March 17 but what exactly happened is still unclear as IS militants fight to defend the areas of the city they still control. Iraqi government forces paused in their push to recapture western Mosul on Saturday because of the high rate of civilian casualties, a security forces spokesman said, a move apparently motivated by the incident. The United Nations also expressed its profound concern, saying it was "stunned by this terrible loss of life". Initial reports from residents and Iraqi officials in the past week said dozens of people had been killed or wounded in Mosul's al-Jadidah district after air strikes by Iraqi or US-led coalition forces. US Central Command, which oversees US military Middle East operations, said on Saturday that a review had determined that US-led coalition operation, requested by the Iraqi government, had struck Islamic State fighters and equipment "at the location corresponding to allegations of civilian casualties". It was investigating to determine the facts and the validity of reports of civilian casualties, it said. It did not specify which coalition nation carried out the strike. Reports on the numbers of civilian dead and wounded have varied but Civil Defence chief Brigadier Mohammed Al-Jawari told reporters on Thursday that rescue teams had recovered 40 bodies from collapsed buildings. Many other lay buried in the rubble. The exact cause of the collapses was not clear but a local lawmaker and two residents said on Thursday the air strikes may have detonated an IS truck filled with explosives, destroying buildings in the heavily-populated area. The speaker of the Iraqi parliament, Salim al-Jabouri, said in a statement: "What's happening in the west part of Mosul is extremely serious and could not be tolerated under any circumstances." Up to 600,000 civilians are still believed to remain in IS-held areas of Mosul, complicating the government offensive tactically but also politically as the Shi'ite Muslim-led government seeks to avoid alienating people in the mainly Sunni city. NEW TACTICS Residents escaping besieged western Mosul have told of Iraqi and US-led coalition air strikes demolishing buildings and killing civilians in several cases. The insurgents have also used civilians as human shields and opened fire on them as they try to escape Islamic State-held neighbourhoods, fleeing residents said. "The recent high death toll among civilians inside the Old City forced us to halt operations to review our plans," a Federal Police spokesman said on Saturday. "It's a time for weighing new offensive plans and tactics. No combat operations are to go on." The US-backed offensive to drive Islamic State out of Mosul, now in its sixth month, has recaptured the entire eastern side of Mosul and about half of the west. But advances have stuttered in the last two weeks as fighting enters the narrow alleys of the Old City, home to the al-Nuri mosque where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared a caliphate spanning large areas of Iraq and Syria in 2014. "We need to make sure that taking out Daesh (Islamic State) from the Old City will not cost unwanted high casualties among civilians. We need surgical accurate operations to target terrorists without causing collateral damage among residents," the Federal Police spokesman said. A US deputy commanding general for the coalition told Reuters on Friday that the solution could lie in a change of tactics. The Iraqi military is assessing opening up another front and isolating the Old City, US Army Brigadier General John Richardson said. Fleeing residents have described grim living conditions inside IS-held parts of Mosul, saying there was no running water or electricity and no food coming in. But families are streaming out of the northern city, Iraq's second largest, in their thousands each day, headed for cold, crowded camps or to stay with relatives. Hunger and fighting are making life unbearable inside. The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights said that since the campaign on western Mosul began on February 19, unconfirmed reports said nearly 700 civilians had been killed by government and coalition air strikes or Islamic State actions. The militants have used car bombs, snipers and mortar fire to counter the offensive. They have also stationed themselves in homes belonging to Mosul residents to fire at Iraqi troops, often drawing air or artillery strikes that have killed civilians. The United Nations chief humanitarian official, Lise Grande, said civilians were at extreme risk as the fighting intensified and all sides must to do their utmost to avoid such casualties. "International humanitarian law is clear. Parties to the conflict — all parties – are obliged to do everything possible to protect civilians. This means that combatants cannot use people as human shields and cannot imperil lives through indiscriminate use of fire-power," she said in a statement. (Reuters)

US confirms coalition strike in Mosul district where dozens of civilians reported killed

The commander of the US-led coalition in Iraq has said that the ongoing campaign against the Islamic State militants in Mosul has gained momentum.

US army Lieutenant-General Steve Townsend has also said that the coordination between the Iraqi army and the security forces was largely absent in the first two months of the campaign, Reuters reported.

Lack of coordination between the Iraq army and the security forces was one of the reason that the campaign had stalled last month.

A decisive victory in Mosul will be the final nail in the coffin for the so-called Islamic Caliphate.

(WION with inputs from Reuters) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Lack of coordination between Iraq army and Security forces was one reason for the pause

The commander of the US-led coalition in Iraq has said that the ongoing campaign against the Islamic State militants in Mosul has gained momentum. US army Lieutenant-General Steve Townsend has also said that the coordination between the Iraqi army and the security forces was largely absent in the first two months of the campaign, Reuters reported. Lack of coordination between the Iraq army and the security forces was one of the reason that the campaign had stalled last month. A decisive victory in Mosul will be the final nail in the coffin for the so-called Islamic Caliphate. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Campaign against IS gaining momentum in Mosul, says senior US army commander

The US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group aims to open a new front in southern Syria in addition to its ongoing offensive in the northeast, US defense secretary Ashton Carter said yesterday. 
 
&quot;We will aggressively pursue opportunities to build pressure on ISIL in Syria from the south, complementing our existing, robust efforts from northeastern Syria,&quot; he said in a speech to US troops at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. ISIL is another term for the Islamic State group. 
 
Carter said the move will help Jordanian security and further split IS theatres of operation in Syria and Iraq. 
 
At the moment, the main coalition effort is centred on recapturing the Manbij pocket in northern Syria, the last jihadist-held territory bordering Turkey. 
 
That offensive is being led by the Syrian Democratic Forces, an Arab-Kurdish coalition. 
 
US-backed rebels also have tried to attack IS from the south, but so far without success. 
 
The New Syrian Army, a small rebel formation allied with the United States, tried in June to attack IS positions in Boukamal on the border with Iraq. 
 
But after coming within five kilometers of the town, the rebels were repelled by a jihadist counter-offensive. 
 
In another setback, the Pentagon said a rebel camp was bombed in mid-June by Russian warplanes, a charge Moscow has denied. 
 
After two years of war against the jihadists, the coalition estimates it has recovered about 50 per cent of the territory seized by IS in Iraq, and 20 per cent in Syria. 
 
The allies&#39; objective is to isolate and then recapture the cities of Raqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq, the most important IS strongholds. 
 
&quot;As this isolation and pressure on Raqa and Mosul builds from the outside in, our partners will continue to reach deep inside those cities to enable pressure on ISIL from the inside out,&quot; Carter said. 
 
(AFP)

US defense secretary said the move will help Jordanian security and further split IS theatres of operation in Syria and Iraq

The US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group aims to open a new front in southern Syria in addition to its ongoing offensive in the northeast, US defense secretary Ashton Carter said yesterday. "We will aggressively pursue opportunities to build pressure on ISIL in Syria from the south, complementing our existing, robust efforts from northeastern Syria," he said in a speech to US troops at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. ISIL is another term for the Islamic State group. Carter said the move will help Jordanian security and further split IS theatres of operation in Syria and Iraq. At the moment, the main coalition effort is centred on recapturing the Manbij pocket in northern Syria, the last jihadist-held territory bordering Turkey. That offensive is being led by the Syrian Democratic Forces, an Arab-Kurdish coalition. US-backed rebels also have tried to attack IS from the south, but so far without success. The New Syrian Army, a small rebel formation allied with the United States, tried in June to attack IS positions in Boukamal on the border with Iraq. But after coming within five kilometers of the town, the rebels were repelled by a jihadist counter-offensive. In another setback, the Pentagon said a rebel camp was bombed in mid-June by Russian warplanes, a charge Moscow has denied. After two years of war against the jihadists, the coalition estimates it has recovered about 50 per cent of the territory seized by IS in Iraq, and 20 per cent in Syria. The allies' objective is to isolate and then recapture the cities of Raqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq, the most important IS strongholds. "As this isolation and pressure on Raqa and Mosul builds from the outside in, our partners will continue to reach deep inside those cities to enable pressure on ISIL from the inside out," Carter said. (AFP)

US-led coalition aims to open new anti-IS front in Syria

Air strikes by US-led coalition warplanes and artillery fire from Turkey killed eight Islamic State fighters in northern Syria, state-run Anadolu Agency cited the Turkish military as saying today. 
 
Ten Islamic State targets were hit in the strikes, which also destroyed one building used by the militants as a base, the agency said. 
 
It said Turkish army howitzers fired on the militants as they were preparing to open fire on Turkey on Saturday from the areas of Baragitah, Tel Ahmar and Shabaniye in northern Syria. 
 
Turkey and the coalition have carried out regular strikes against Islamic State in the area in recent months after rocket attacks by the militants on the Turkish border town of Kilis. 
 
Kilis, just across the frontier from an Islamic State-controlled region of Syria, has been hit by rockets more than 70 times this year. More than 20 people have been killed. 
 
(Reuters)

Ten IS targets were hit in the strikes, which also destroyed a building used by the militants as a base, Anadolu Agency reported

Air strikes by US-led coalition warplanes and artillery fire from Turkey killed eight Islamic State fighters in northern Syria, state-run Anadolu Agency cited the Turkish military as saying today. Ten Islamic State targets were hit in the strikes, which also destroyed one building used by the militants as a base, the agency said. It said Turkish army howitzers fired on the militants as they were preparing to open fire on Turkey on Saturday from the areas of Baragitah, Tel Ahmar and Shabaniye in northern Syria. Turkey and the coalition have carried out regular strikes against Islamic State in the area in recent months after rocket attacks by the militants on the Turkish border town of Kilis. Kilis, just across the frontier from an Islamic State-controlled region of Syria, has been hit by rockets more than 70 times this year. More than 20 people have been killed. (Reuters)

US-led coalition air strikes, Turkish artillery fire kill 8 Islamic State militants

Iraqi forces have captured a key airbase from the Islamic State group that can serve as a launchpad for retaking the jihadist-held city of Mosul, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Saturday. 
 
&quot;The Qayyarah airbase in the Tigris valley 60 kilometres south of Mosul would be an important base for the liberation of Mosul,&quot; Abadi said in a statement. 
 
He called for the people of Iraq&#39;s northwestern Nineveh province, of which Mosul is the capital, to &quot;prepare for the liberation of their cities.&quot; 
 
Iraq&#39;s Joint Operations Command said two army divisions and members of the country&#39;s counter-terrorism forces took the base with air support from a US-led international coalition. 
 
Security sources said jihadists had fled towards Mosul after the base was taken. 
 
An officer taking part in the operation said bomb disposal teams were removing booby traps and mines left behind by IS fighters. 
 
No further details were immediately available on the scale of fighting for the base. 
 
At the end of last month, Iraqi forces recaptured Fallujah, a city 50 kilometres west of Baghdad, in a major setback for IS. 
 
That focused attention on the battle to remove IS from the northwest of the country. 
 
In recent months, IS has lost significant parts of the territory north and west of Baghdad which it seized in 2014. 
 
The fighting to get into Fallujah was initially fierce, particularly on the southern side, and Iraqi forces were supported by more than 100 US-led coalition air strikes. 
 
On June 26, Abadi stood outside a hospital in Fallujah and vowed that the Iraqi flag would soon be raised over Mosul. 
 
In his statement on Saturday, he said government forces had advanced 100 kilometres in the past few days. 
 
&quot;This is important revenge against the terrorist gangs, which we will crush and cleanse from all of our land very soon,&quot; he said. 
 
Rights groups have raised concerns about alleged abuses carried out by Iraqi forces during the fight for Fallujah, including executions of civilians. 
 
Human Rights Watch called on the government on Thursday to be transparent about an enquiry into the alleged abuses, which it said was &quot;mired in secrecy&quot;. 
 
More than 80,000 have been displaced since the start of the Fallujah offensive, bringing to more than 3.3 million the number of Iraqis forced from their homes by conflict since the start of 2014. 
 
The Sunni extremist group has responded to its battlefield setbacks by hitting back against civilians, particularly Shiites. 
 
Experts have warned there may be more bombings as the jihadists continue to lose ground. 
 
IS said it had carried out an attack on a Shiite shrine north of Baghdad that started on Thursday evening and killed 30 people. 
 
That came just days after a devastating bombing in the capital that killed 292 people. 
 
(AFP)

Prime Minister Abadi said the Qayyarah airbase will be an important base for the liberation of Mosul

Iraqi forces have captured a key airbase from the Islamic State group that can serve as a launchpad for retaking the jihadist-held city of Mosul, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Saturday. "The Qayyarah airbase in the Tigris valley 60 kilometres south of Mosul would be an important base for the liberation of Mosul," Abadi said in a statement. He called for the people of Iraq's northwestern Nineveh province, of which Mosul is the capital, to "prepare for the liberation of their cities." Iraq's Joint Operations Command said two army divisions and members of the country's counter-terrorism forces took the base with air support from a US-led international coalition. Security sources said jihadists had fled towards Mosul after the base was taken. An officer taking part in the operation said bomb disposal teams were removing booby traps and mines left behind by IS fighters. No further details were immediately available on the scale of fighting for the base. At the end of last month, Iraqi forces recaptured Fallujah, a city 50 kilometres west of Baghdad, in a major setback for IS. That focused attention on the battle to remove IS from the northwest of the country. In recent months, IS has lost significant parts of the territory north and west of Baghdad which it seized in 2014. The fighting to get into Fallujah was initially fierce, particularly on the southern side, and Iraqi forces were supported by more than 100 US-led coalition air strikes. On June 26, Abadi stood outside a hospital in Fallujah and vowed that the Iraqi flag would soon be raised over Mosul. In his statement on Saturday, he said government forces had advanced 100 kilometres in the past few days. "This is important revenge against the terrorist gangs, which we will crush and cleanse from all of our land very soon," he said. Rights groups have raised concerns about alleged abuses carried out by Iraqi forces during the fight for Fallujah, including executions of civilians. Human Rights Watch called on the government on Thursday to be transparent about an enquiry into the alleged abuses, which it said was "mired in secrecy". More than 80,000 have been displaced since the start of the Fallujah offensive, bringing to more than 3.3 million the number of Iraqis forced from their homes by conflict since the start of 2014. The Sunni extremist group has responded to its battlefield setbacks by hitting back against civilians, particularly Shiites. Experts have warned there may be more bombings as the jihadists continue to lose ground. IS said it had carried out an attack on a Shiite shrine north of Baghdad that started on Thursday evening and killed 30 people. That came just days after a devastating bombing in the capital that killed 292 people. (AFP)

Iraq army seizes key airbase from Islamic State in south of Mosul

Iraqi forces recaptured the last district held by Islamic State militants in the city of Fallujah today and the general commanding the operation declared the battle complete after nearly five weeks of fighting. 
 
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi claimed victory over Islamic State in Fallujah more than a week ago but fighting continued inside the city west of Baghdad, including in the Golan district. The offensive has been backed by a U.S.-led coalition mostly in the form of air strikes against Islamic State. 
 
&quot;We announce from this place in central Golan district that it has been cleaned by the counter terrorism service and we convey the good news to the Iraqi people that the battle of Fallujah is over,&quot; Lieutenant General Abdul Wahab al-Saidi told state TV. 
 
Flanked by jubilant fighters, some waving Iraqi flags, Saidi said a few militants were still holding out in buildings. At least 1,800 Islamic State fighters were killed in the operation to retake Fallujah, and the rest had fled, he said. 
 
Government troops launched the operation on May 23 to retake Fallujah, a bastion of the Sunni Muslim insurgency against U.S. forces that toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, in 2003, and later against Shi&#39;ite-led governments. 
 
Abadi said last week that the recapture of Fallujah would pave the way for the military to march on Mosul, Islamic State&#39;s de facto capital. 
 
Fighting to recapture the Iraqi city has forced more than 85,000 residents to flee to overwhelmed government-run camps. The United Nations says it has received allegations of abuse of civilians fleeing the city, including by members of Shi&#39;ite armed groups supporting the offensive. 
 
The militants seized Fallujah in January 2014, six months before they declared a &quot;caliphate&quot; over part of Syria and Iraq.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

Government fighters recapture the last district held by Islamic State in the city

Iraqi forces recaptured the last district held by Islamic State militants in the city of Fallujah today and the general commanding the operation declared the battle complete after nearly five weeks of fighting. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi claimed victory over Islamic State in Fallujah more than a week ago but fighting continued inside the city west of Baghdad, including in the Golan district. The offensive has been backed by a U.S.-led coalition mostly in the form of air strikes against Islamic State. "We announce from this place in central Golan district that it has been cleaned by the counter terrorism service and we convey the good news to the Iraqi people that the battle of Fallujah is over," Lieutenant General Abdul Wahab al-Saidi told state TV. Flanked by jubilant fighters, some waving Iraqi flags, Saidi said a few militants were still holding out in buildings. At least 1,800 Islamic State fighters were killed in the operation to retake Fallujah, and the rest had fled, he said. Government troops launched the operation on May 23 to retake Fallujah, a bastion of the Sunni Muslim insurgency against U.S. forces that toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, in 2003, and later against Shi'ite-led governments. Abadi said last week that the recapture of Fallujah would pave the way for the military to march on Mosul, Islamic State's de facto capital. Fighting to recapture the Iraqi city has forced more than 85,000 residents to flee to overwhelmed government-run camps. The United Nations says it has received allegations of abuse of civilians fleeing the city, including by members of Shi'ite armed groups supporting the offensive. The militants seized Fallujah in January 2014, six months before they declared a "caliphate" over part of Syria and Iraq. (Reuters)

Battle over, say Iraqi forces in Fallujah

The US-led coalition fighting Islamic State said on Friday that it could not confirm a report by an Iraqi TV channel that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been wounded in air strikes. 
 
A spokesman of the coalition, Colonel Chris Garver, said in an email that he had seen the reports but had &quot;nothing to confirm this at this time&quot;. 
 
Al Sumariya TV cited local sources in Iraq&#39;s Nineveh province that Baghdadi and other Islamic State leaders were wounded on Thursday in a coalition air strike on one of the group&#39;s command headquarters close to the Syrian border. 
 
The channel has good connections with Shi&#39;ite politicians and Iraqi forces engaged in the battle against Islamic State. 
 
There have been several reports in the past that Baghdadi, whose real name is Ibrahim al-Samarrai, was killed or wounded after proclaiming himself caliph of all Muslims two years ago. 
 
The ultra-hardline Sunni group is under increased pressure in both Iraq and Syria, and the territory under its control has shrunk significantly since 2014, limiting the potential for its leaders to move around or seek shelter. 
 
The U.S. earlier this year announced an intensification of the war on Islamic State with more air strikes and more American troops on the ground to advise and assist allied forces. 
 
The U.S.-led coalition has regularly flown raids out of Erbil, the capital of Iraq&#39;s Kurdistan region, in operations aimed at killing and capturing Islamic State leaders. 
 
A Kurdish intelligence official and an Arab from the Baaj area west of Mosul said the U.S.-led coalition had conducted such a raid there earlier this week. The coalition did not confirm this raid. 
 
Kurdish Peshmerga forces are positioned in an arc around the north and east of Mosul while the Iraqi army is trying to capture Falluja, the group&#39;s stronghold near Baghdad. 
 
The Iraqi army is also assembling tanks and troops in south of Mosul, for an offensive planned later this year to retake the largest city under the control of the militants. 
 
In Syria, Russian- and Iranian-backed Syrian government forces and U.S.-backed Syrian opposition and Kurds are separately trying to advance on Raqqa, the group&#39;s capital in Syria

Al Sumariya TV had cited local sources in Iraq's Nineveh province as saying Baghdadi had been wounded on Thursday in a coalition air strike

The US-led coalition fighting Islamic State said on Friday that it could not confirm a report by an Iraqi TV channel that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been wounded in air strikes. A spokesman of the coalition, Colonel Chris Garver, said in an email that he had seen the reports but had "nothing to confirm this at this time". Al Sumariya TV cited local sources in Iraq's Nineveh province that Baghdadi and other Islamic State leaders were wounded on Thursday in a coalition air strike on one of the group's command headquarters close to the Syrian border. The channel has good connections with Shi'ite politicians and Iraqi forces engaged in the battle against Islamic State. There have been several reports in the past that Baghdadi, whose real name is Ibrahim al-Samarrai, was killed or wounded after proclaiming himself caliph of all Muslims two years ago. The ultra-hardline Sunni group is under increased pressure in both Iraq and Syria, and the territory under its control has shrunk significantly since 2014, limiting the potential for its leaders to move around or seek shelter. The U.S. earlier this year announced an intensification of the war on Islamic State with more air strikes and more American troops on the ground to advise and assist allied forces. The U.S.-led coalition has regularly flown raids out of Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region, in operations aimed at killing and capturing Islamic State leaders. A Kurdish intelligence official and an Arab from the Baaj area west of Mosul said the U.S.-led coalition had conducted such a raid there earlier this week. The coalition did not confirm this raid. Kurdish Peshmerga forces are positioned in an arc around the north and east of Mosul while the Iraqi army is trying to capture Falluja, the group's stronghold near Baghdad. The Iraqi army is also assembling tanks and troops in south of Mosul, for an offensive planned later this year to retake the largest city under the control of the militants. In Syria, Russian- and Iranian-backed Syrian government forces and U.S.-backed Syrian opposition and Kurds are separately trying to advance on Raqqa, the group's capital in Syria

US-led coalition can't confirm report that Islamic State leader Baghdadi wounded

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