The Iraqi military has recaptured eastern Mosul from the Islamic State (IS).
Speaking at a press conference in Bartalla, Iraqi counter-terror chief Talib Shaghati said that the army had “liberated” Mosul up to the eastern bank of the Tigris river, which runs through the middle of the city.
The recapture of Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, is central to weakening the Islamic State throughout the region, which relies on Mosul as its urban centre and a major source of tax revenues. The Iraqi forces have made quick progress through Mosul in recent weeks after originally meeting strong resistance from IS fighters when they launched the campaign last October.
The military forces attacking IS in Mosul are made up of Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen. These forces are assisted by military advisers, warplanes, and drones from the US-led coalition.
The military clashes in and around Mosul has caused at least 100,000 people to flee their homes, according to the UN, with that figure expected to rise as the fighting continues.
