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Mosul offensive: Iraqi forces recapture airport in bid to retake city | Mosul offensive: Iraqi forces recapture airport in bid to retake city |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Iraqi security forces have recaptured Mosul airport, a key part of the government's offensive to drive the so-called Islamic State (IS) from the western half of the city. | Iraqi security forces have recaptured Mosul airport, a key part of the government's offensive to drive the so-called Islamic State (IS) from the western half of the city. |
The operation took four hours. IS continued to fire mortars at the airport from further inside the city after losing the ground to the army. | The operation took four hours. IS continued to fire mortars at the airport from further inside the city after losing the ground to the army. |
The jihadists have also entered a nearby military base amid further clashes, a military spokesman said. | The jihadists have also entered a nearby military base amid further clashes, a military spokesman said. |
Eastern Mosul was retaken last month. | Eastern Mosul was retaken last month. |
Thursday's advance brings the army within less than a mile (1.6km) of western Mosul, where the militants are expected to launch attacks from densely populated neighbourhoods. | |
After darkness fell, government armour could be seen lining up for a new move forward, the BBC's Quentin Sommerville reports from the scene. | |
Armoured columns | Armoured columns |
Thursday's assault began with air strikes by the US-led coalition before armoured columns advanced to the airport's perimeter. | |
An Iraqi lieutenant was killed by one of the roadside bombs planted in the area by IS, the BBC has learned. | An Iraqi lieutenant was killed by one of the roadside bombs planted in the area by IS, the BBC has learned. |
Iraqi forces also came under fire from IS militants holed up inside airport buildings, reports said. | |
Foreign troops from the US-led coalition were with the attacking troops, officials told the Associated Press news agency, without specifying their nationality. | Foreign troops from the US-led coalition were with the attacking troops, officials told the Associated Press news agency, without specifying their nationality. |
The airport's runway has been destroyed by IS but our correspondent, who is embedded with Iraqi federal police units, says it still has value. | |
It is a large piece of land and controlling it will help secure southern routes to west Mosul, our correspondent says. | It is a large piece of land and controlling it will help secure southern routes to west Mosul, our correspondent says. |
The airport and the al-Ghazlani base are on Mosul's southern outskirts on the western side of the Tigris river. | The airport and the al-Ghazlani base are on Mosul's southern outskirts on the western side of the Tigris river. |
Thousands of Iraqi troops, backed by artillery and air power, are involved in the assault to retake Mosul. | Thousands of Iraqi troops, backed by artillery and air power, are involved in the assault to retake Mosul. |
Leaflets warning residents of an imminent offensive were earlier dropped over western Mosul, where military officials say narrow winding streets could make retaking the area particularly difficult. | Leaflets warning residents of an imminent offensive were earlier dropped over western Mosul, where military officials say narrow winding streets could make retaking the area particularly difficult. |
Although slightly smaller than the east, western Mosul is more densely populated and includes districts seen as pro-IS. | Although slightly smaller than the east, western Mosul is more densely populated and includes districts seen as pro-IS. |
Trapped in the city | Trapped in the city |
The UN has voiced concern about the welfare of civilians trapped in the city. | The UN has voiced concern about the welfare of civilians trapped in the city. |
Aram Shakaram, the country deputy director for Save the Children in Iraq, told the BBC he believed relatively few people had been able to escape the city since Wednesday. | |
He said the charity believed that nearly 800,000 people were still trapped there. | |
'I could die in an air strike or be killed by IS' - Mohamed, activist | |
We are very scared, and we are worried that the final stages are going to take long. | |
S will not give up and withdraw that easily and the whole operation might take as long as it did in east Mosul. | |
I won't lie, I am scared too and I don't know if I am going to die in an air strike or killed by an IS fighter. | |
Voices from West Mosul: 'Everyone is scared' | |
More than 160,000 people have fled their homes in and around the city. | More than 160,000 people have fled their homes in and around the city. |
The UN said in late January that almost half of all the casualties in Mosul were civilians. | The UN said in late January that almost half of all the casualties in Mosul were civilians. |
All bridges linking the east and west of the city, across the Tigris river, have been destroyed by air strikes. | All bridges linking the east and west of the city, across the Tigris river, have been destroyed by air strikes. |
IS jihadists overran Mosul as they spread across much of northern and western Iraq in 2014. | IS jihadists overran Mosul as they spread across much of northern and western Iraq in 2014. |