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Mosul battle: Iraqi special forces enter city limits | Mosul battle: Iraqi special forces enter city limits |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Iraqi forces have for the first time entered the eastern outskirts of Mosul, as they attempt to drive Islamic State (IS) militants from the northern city. | Iraqi forces have for the first time entered the eastern outskirts of Mosul, as they attempt to drive Islamic State (IS) militants from the northern city. |
A BBC correspondent travelling with the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) troops says they are facing fierce resistance as they push into the Kukjali area. | |
Rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and machine-guns are being fired at them. | |
Units of the army's ninth division are meanwhile said to be bearing down on south-eastern districts of the city. | |
On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told the 3,000 to 5,000 militants believed to be inside Mosul, which they overran in June 2014, that there was "no escape" and to "either surrender or die". | |
Read more: | Read more: |
About 50,000 Iraqi security forces personnel, Kurdish fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen are involved in the two-week-old offensive to drive IS militants out of their last major urban stronghold in the country. | About 50,000 Iraqi security forces personnel, Kurdish fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen are involved in the two-week-old offensive to drive IS militants out of their last major urban stronghold in the country. |
CTS units retook Bazwaya, the last village before Mosul's eastern outskirts, in a dawn assault on Monday and then advanced on the Kukjali industrial zone. | CTS units retook Bazwaya, the last village before Mosul's eastern outskirts, in a dawn assault on Monday and then advanced on the Kukjali industrial zone. |
They moved out again shortly before first light on Tuesday, this time with the aim of entering the adjoining Kukjali residential area, which is within the city limits. | |
If the troops can establish a foothold inside Mosul, it will be a big day for Iraq and all the other countries involved in the fight against the jihadist group, our correspondent says. | |
However, they are coming up against much more fierce resistance than he has seen in the past few days. | However, they are coming up against much more fierce resistance than he has seen in the past few days. |
The troops have responded to the RPG, machine-gun and sniper fire with heavy weapons, and also by calling in air strikes by the US-led coalition against IS. | The troops have responded to the RPG, machine-gun and sniper fire with heavy weapons, and also by calling in air strikes by the US-led coalition against IS. |
A number of civilians have also approached them, some waving white flags. | |
The Iraqi military announced on Tuesday that the ninth armoured division was approaching the south-eastern districts of Somer, Palestine, Yarimjah and Intisar, having recaptured the outlying villages of Allag, Tahrawah and Tubraq Ziyarah. | |
Federal police meanwhile recaptured four villages about 25km (15 miles) to the south of Mosul, and the 16th infantry division made further gains to the north. | |
Shia-led paramilitary Popular Mobilisation forces took a number of villages in the desert about 18km (11 miles) south-west of Mosul, as they seek to seal off western escape routes from the city, according to the military. | |
As Mosul is encircled, UN officials have expressed concern for the safety of the 1.5 million civilians estimated to be living there. | |
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Tuesday that it had received fresh reports of mass killings and forced relocations carried out by IS. | |
Militants were alleged to have killed 40 former soldiers from the Shura area south of Mosul and from villages surrounding the town of Hamam al-Alil, and then thrown their bodies into the River Tigris, spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said. | |
IS also brought dozens of lorries and mini-buses into Hamam al-Alil early on Monday in an attempt to forcibly transfer 25,000 to the city itself, she added. | |
Many of the vehicles were prevented from moving by coalition military operations in the area. But some did reach Abu Saif, just outside Mosul's international airport. | |
More than 17,900 people have fled Mosul since the offensive began. According to the UN's worst-case scenario, as many as 700,000 others could follow suit. |