Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Islamic State launches new wave of suicide bombings as Mosul battle rages on

Civilians are risking their lives to flee the city.

Mideast Iraq Mosul Men are held by Iraqi national security agents as oil fields south of Mosul. Felipe Dana / PA Images Felipe Dana / PA Images / PA Images

IRAQI FORCES ARE battling jihadists inside Mosul for the third day running today as civilians risk their lives dodging bombs and snipers to slip out of the city.

The so-called Islamic State group put up fierce resistance to defend the city it seized more than two years ago and also claimed responsibility for deadly suicide attacks further south.

The elite Counter-Terrorism Service has been spearheading the attack on the eastern front of the three-week-old offensive on Mosul, Iraq’s largest military operation in years.

The jihadists have given up some of its bastions in Iraq and Syria with barely a fight in recent months but its men began the defence of their last Iraqi hub with anger.

“Resistance is very heavy and they have suffered major losses,” CTS Staff Lieutenant General Abdelghani al-Assadi told AFP. said of IS.

BBC News / YouTube

Soldiers from the army’s 9th armoured division also battled jihadists in the southeastern neighbourhood of Intisar as forces attempted to increase their footprint in eastern Mosul.

They first entered the streets of Mosul on Friday and were met with what one officer described as stiffer than expected resistance from IS jihadists.

Perilous escape

The assault allowed some civilians to flee the city, most of whose million-plus residents remained trapped inside, sheltering both from their jihadist rulers and incoming fire from government forces and US-led coalition aircraft.

Some of the first civilians to manage to escape the city proper arrived at a camp near Khazir in Kurdish-controlled territory on Saturday.

Abu Sara dodged gunfire, bombs, mortar rounds and coalition strikes to flee his neighbourhood of Al-Samah, such was his desperation to leave what many civilians who escaped IS rule describe as an open-air prison.

“We walked several miles, taking with us only the clothes we were wearing and white flags we waved the entire way,” said the 34-year-old, wearing a brown fake leather jacket.

Mideast Iraq Mosul A displaced man riding in a convoy of cars cuts his beard as he waits near a checkpoint. Felipe Dana / PA Images Felipe Dana / PA Images / PA Images

While the corridors called for by aid groups to allow the safe passage of civilians have yet to materialise, arrivals in the displacement camps dotting the area have increased markedly.

The government said it had taken in 9,000 displaced people in the past two days.

Despite IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi giving his fighters a pep talk on Thursday, urging them not to retreat from Mosul in a rare audio message, the outcome of the battle was in little doubt.

Suicide bombings

The jihadists, with an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 fighters in Mosul, could hold out for weeks and inflict heavy casualties on government forces but they are outnumbered about 10 to one.

The group’s ability to hit back with ground offensives elsewhere appears to be gone and IS has responded with a string of diversionary attacks, including spectacular operations in Kirkuk and Rutba.

Earlier today, it claimed responsibility for three suicide attacks in Tikrit and Samarra, the two main cities in Salaheddin province north of Baghdad.

Iraqi officials spoke of only two bombers, one who detonated an explosives-rigged vehicle at the southern entrance to Tikrit, and another who blew up an ambulance in Samarra.

Mideast Iraq Mosul Qayara, south of Mosul. Felipe Dana / PA Images Felipe Dana / PA Images / PA Images

At least 18 people were killed and wounded more than 30 were wounded in the two cities north of Baghdad, officials said.

One bomber detonated an explosives-rigged vehicle at the southern entrance to Tikrit, while the other blew up an ambulance in Samarra, the officials said.

IS identified two of the bombers as “Al-Moslawi” — a nom de guerre that would indicate they were from Mosul, though it could be a propaganda attempt to link militants from other areas with the ongoing battle for Iraq’s second city.

On Friday, an Islamic State linked proganga outlet claimed that an Irish suicide bomber had carried out an attack as part of its efforts to keep control of Mosul.

© – AFP 2016

Read: Isis leader ‘calls for fight to the death’ in audio recording >

Read: Iraqi forces move to cut off Islamic State militant supply lines >

Author
View 26 comments
Close
26 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Liam Dunne
    Favourite Liam Dunne
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 1:27 PM

    Why were 650 comments on the Irish Jihadi story deleted and disabled?? Afraid to offend the b*****d in death? Sure isnt he only delighted…..??

    111
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fintan Oflaois
    Favourite Fintan Oflaois
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 2:20 PM

    @Liam Dunne: “Sure isnt he only delighted…..??”

    I doubt that he is experiencing any emotion or thoughts whatsoever given that the biggest bit of him that was left after the explosion he set off was probably smaller than a pork chop.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thosj Carroll
    Favourite Thosj Carroll
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 2:21 PM

    Liam, how did u know 650 comments were deleted? If true, journal.ie should be closed down for being as ISIS appeasers!

    44
    See 9 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Adam
    Favourite Adam
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 2:32 PM

    @Thosj Carroll: The Journal is very politically correct and left wing. In case you haven’t noticed, all of it’s staff are liberal millennials.

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tariq ibn Ziyad
    Favourite Tariq ibn Ziyad
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 3:00 PM

    Liberal; adjective -

    ‘Willing to respect or accept behaviour or opinions different from one’s own,open to new ideas,

    ‘Concerned with broadening a person’s experience or general knowledge’

    Wow,those liberals sound like total d**ks. I wonder what the opposite of the above is?

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Adam
    Favourite Adam
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 3:13 PM

    @Tariq ibn Ziyad: Not all behaviours and opinions should be respected. Islam for example, deserves no respect. Liberals are ridiculous in their belief that everything should be respected and it is liberals we have to thank for the Muslim invasion of Europe and the blood of every person who dies in a terrorist attack is on the hands of those liberals who allowed them to enter Europe, unchecked, by the ship load as well as on the hands of terrorists themselves.

    (This will surely be deleted)

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tariq ibn Ziyad
    Favourite Tariq ibn Ziyad
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 3:18 PM

    Really? Because as you Alt-Right fundamentalists always love harping on about,it was the Centre-Right Christian Party of Angela Merkel that sanctioned the influx into Europe in conjunction with the right-wing Conservative dictatorship in Turkey. Absolutely nothing to do with the Left,look closer to home buddy,the right-wing are responsible.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Adam
    Favourite Adam
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 3:24 PM

    @Tariq ibn Ziyad: And they did that out of political correctness and fear of appearing racist, which we have the left to thank for. Why don’t you just go back to your sandy hell hole. You disagree with everyone here.

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tariq ibn Ziyad
    Favourite Tariq ibn Ziyad
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 3:28 PM

    I just disagree with nonsense,blaming the Left for the problems created by right-wing governments is laughable at best. Your whole argument is built on the hypothesis that some invisible overseer of political correctness is dictating internal government policies,get a grip and try and come up with a point that stands up to scrutiny instead of repeating the same waffle over and over again on every article. ‘PC left’ ‘mainstream media’ ‘liberal conspiracy’ Wah Wah Wah!

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tariq ibn Ziyad
    Favourite Tariq ibn Ziyad
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 4:00 PM

    You lost the argument with me,take your medicine.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute stevenocarroll
    Favourite stevenocarroll
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 5:43 PM

    @Liam Dunne:

    AFP is a particularly leftist and pro immigration rag, you won’t get journalism there or in the journal.ie tbh

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tariq ibn Ziyad
    Favourite Tariq ibn Ziyad
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 6:10 PM

    Steven for someone who despises the leftist media,you sure spend a lot of your life commenting on their news websites,time for a new hobby old bean?

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tweety McTweeter
    Favourite Tweety McTweeter
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 12:24 PM

    We will see a lot more suicide bombings as ISIS begins running out of options and the battle draws to a close. The focus at this stage has to be on minimising civilian casualties, I’m sure the leaders of ISIS are hiding behind women and children while instructing their foot soldiers to blow themselves up

    86
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute William Kavanagh
    Favourite William Kavanagh
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 12:38 PM

    There was an article about Obamas legacy yesterday….. Hillary will make sure this still happens….

    33
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Flood
    Favourite Martin Flood
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 1:03 PM

    @William Kavanagh:
    One of those “I can see the future” articles?

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tweety McTweeter
    Favourite Tweety McTweeter
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 1:08 PM

    Whereas Trump would be a calming force in US-international relations?

    26
    See 6 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute William Kavanagh
    Favourite William Kavanagh
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 1:17 PM

    @Martin Flood: no Martin, its obvious from what she has done already will ensure this happens…. She is a pawn for the saudis already…..

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tariq ibn Ziyad
    Favourite Tariq ibn Ziyad
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 1:57 PM

    Maybe you should let the CIA know William,not much point sharing your intel here.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Flood
    Favourite Martin Flood
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 2:05 PM

    @William Kavanagh:
    If it’s so obvious then why read and refer to an article?

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute William Kavanagh
    Favourite William Kavanagh
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 3:30 PM

    @Tariq ibn Ziyad: ahh very right Tariq, and we will all believe your cock and bull versions too. It’s my opinions, and I love the way you and your ilk try to shoot down those with differing thinking…

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tariq ibn Ziyad
    Favourite Tariq ibn Ziyad
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 3:39 PM

    It’s not shooting down Willy,it’s just pointing out the glaring flaws in your nonsensical posts. If you feel offended by that maybe you should go to your safe space where no one will disagree with you.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute William Kavanagh
    Favourite William Kavanagh
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 3:45 PM

    @Tariq ibn Ziyad: not offended at all, thats the diference between those with open minds, and those who follow….. Now go back and enjoy the Pool game….. I am loving it….. Thats my religon…..

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Buster VL
    Favourite Buster VL
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 6:38 PM

    Isnt is ironic that in Taliban Terry’s famous 2003 lat late interview, he and that other turd, Chowdary are blathering on about the West “bombing and killing muslims in muslim lands” to justify 9/11, then our very own taliban Terry goes to a muslim land to….
    blow up other Muslims!

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eye_c_u
    Favourite Eye_c_u
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 2:39 PM

    Watch that new report skip to 2.05 holy sweet jaysus. That reporter nothing phases him.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute stevenocarroll
    Favourite stevenocarroll
    Report
    Nov 6th 2016, 5:49 PM

    @Eye_c_u:

    it is the vulture instinct of most photographers, sure that is their job, what really gets me about most of them tho, is when they come home and add their leftist pro immigration and liberal bias and slant on things.

    7
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds