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Battle for Mosul on Wednesday: Battle to Liberate Mosul in Advanced Stage

Military operation by the joint Iraqi forces to liberate the city of Mosul continued on Wednesday and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the military campaign has now come to an advanced phase, noting that the performance of the Iraqi army in the war on ISIL has surprised its international partners.

Abadi: Battle to Liberate Mosul Reaches Advanced Stage

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced that the Iraqi forces reached an advanced stage in the battle to liberate Mosul, and said the performance of the Iraqi army in the war on ISIL has surprised the international coalition.

“We reached an advanced stage in the battle to liberate the city of Mosul, and our plan is not to evacuate the families from the cities during the liberation operations,” Abadi said during a news conference in Baghdad.

Abadi also pointed out to the continuous cooperation between the security forces and displaced people’s committees, and confirmed that they were able to provide food and fuel for displaced families in the liberated areas.

Iraqi Forces Evacuate 1,000 Civilians from Front Lines

Iraqi Special Forces moved more than 1,000 people from villages near the front lines of the battle to retake the ISIL-held city of Mosul.

The Iraqi Army Special Forces Major General Haider Fadhil said the residents of Tob Zawa and other nearby villages have been taken to a camp in the nearby Khazer region for their safety, Alaraby reported.

The Special Forces began undertaking clean up operations on Wednesday in areas retaken from the militants to the East of the city.

Large Cache of ISIL Weapons Seized near Bashiqa

Iraqi Peshmerga forces said on Wednesday that they have found a tunnel, which is the largest ISIL weapons depot discovered so far in the Bashiqa front.

The tunnel, which has been found in Tiz Khrab Gawra village, contained a large number of weapons, Rudaw reported.

Iraq’s Peshmerga forces on Monday retook complete control of Bashiqa town, 13 km Northeast of Mosul.

Iraqi Army Kicks Off Zawaya Liberation Operation

Iraq’s joint military forces started their military operations to liberate Zawaya region, Commander of Iraq’s Counterterrorism Forces Major General Abdolvahab al-Saedi announced on Wednesday.

“After seizing back Zawaya region, the security forces will continue their military operation to take control of Kokajli district inside the city of Mosul,” al-Saedi said.

ISIL Militants Disguise as Peshmerga, Shave Beard to Flee Mosul

An Iraqi security source revealed that many ISIL militants have begun to wear the Peshmerga forces’ uniforms inside the city of Mosul and have shaved their beards for fear of being targeted as Iraqi joint forces continued their advanced toward the ISIL-held city.

“Many militants of the ISIL terror group have wear the military uniforms of the Peshmerga forces for camouflage and to divert the suspicion from them within the city of Mosul,” a security source said, Badr News reported.

The source added that “Most of the ISIL terrorists have also begun to shave their beards for fear of being targeted”.

Report: ISIL’s Treasury Man, Economic Brain Disappears with Millions of Dollars in Mosul

A top ISIL member in charge of the terrorist group’s financial resources along with a German woman who trained ISIL’s female suicide attackers fled with millions of dollars from the city of Mosul in Nineveh province, media reports said Wednesday.

“ISIL’s financial chief known as Abi Motaz al-Qahtani has disappeared with a German woman who was in charge of training ISIL’s female suicide bombers,” the Arabic-language al-Sumeriya news channel quoted a local source as saying on Wednesday.

The source noted that the disappearance of al-Qahtani and the unnamed German woman has been a planned move as they have escaped with important dossiers and millions of dollars in cash.

Iraqi Analyst Discloses Plot to Transfer Al-Baghdadi to Libya

A prominent Iraqi military analyst disclosed that Riyadh and Ankara had hatched plots to transfer ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi from Mosul to Libya but the massive presence of the popular forces and Russian fighter jets at the bordering areas of Iraq and Syria dissuaded them.

“The two countries were working to take al-Baghdadi to Turkey either by moving him through Mosul and Kirkuk to the North or through al-Qa’em and al-Ratba corridor to Deir Ezzur in Syria and then to Turkey to eventually transfer him to Libya,” Safa al-A’asam told Iraq’s al-Ma’louma news agency on Wednesday.

He added that the ISIL concluded that transferring al-Baghdadi through Tal Afar region to Raqqa in Syria is also impossible given the massive presence of Hashd al-Sha’abi (popular forces) in the Southern front near Be’aaj district, Northwest of the Iraqi province of Nineveh as well as the numerous flights done by the Russian fighter jets over the Syrian bordering areas with Iraq.

Russian Military: US Air Force Jet Struck School in Iraq’s Mosul

A US warplane hit a girls’ school in the South of the Iraqi city of Mosul on October 21, the Russian General Staff’s chief said.

“On October 21, a US Air Force plane carried out an airstrike against a girls’ school in the Southern part of the city of Mosul,” said Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi, RIA Novosti reported.

More than 60 civilians died and 200 were wounded because of the US-led coalition’s airstrikes on residential areas in Mosul and its outskirts in the last three days, he said.

ISIL Burns Nine Own Militants Alive in Iraq’s Mosul

The militants of the ISIL terrorist group executed nine of their supporters for duck-out in the Iraqi city of Mosul, media reported on Tuesday.

“ISIL militants executed nine of their militants, who escaped from the confrontation with the security forces in Mosul, throwing them in the trenches full of black oil for burning with hands and feet tied,” a source in Iraq’s security forces said, Al Sumeriya reported.

On October 17, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of a military operation to retake Mosul from the ISIL terror group.

Arab Media: General Soleimani in Mosul Operations Room

Commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Qassem Soleimani has arrived in Hashd al-Sha’abi (popular forces) operations room in Mosul to play his advisory role in anti-ISIL campaign in Iraq, Arab media reported on Wednesday.

“Hashd al-Sha’abi will soon start its operations in Western Mosul to cut the ISIL’s supply routes to Syria and defuse the US plots to postpone the popular forces’ participation in the Mosul operations, and General Soleimani has also joined them as a military advisor,” the Arabic-language al-Akhbar said quoting renowned Iraqi figures.

No other source has yet confirmed the report.

Washington is pressuring Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi not to allow Hashd al-Sha’abi forces to participate in the Mosul liberation operations.

Spokesman of the Iraqi popular forces Ahmad al-Assadi had confirmed in August that General Soleimani would play a major role in operations to liberate Mosul, stressing that his country is in dire need of Iranian military advisors.

“The presence of Brigadier-General Soleimani in the operations to free Mosul and Nineveh province is necessary and General Soleiman is the greatest advisor that has helped the Iraqi government in the war against the ISIL,” al-Assadi told FNA.

“Hajj Qassem Soleimani is one of the most important military advisors of the Islamic Republic of Iran who is in Iraq at the invitation, demand and agreement of the Iraqi government,” he added.

Stressing that the Iranian advisors are in Iraq at the demand of the Iraqi government and have played a big role in most operations conducted by the popular forces, al-Assadi said, “They provided the Iraqis with strong views and important consultations with respect to their experience and capabilities.”

In relevant remarks in June, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ebrahim al-Jafari underlined that General Soleimani is in Iraq to help the country in campaign against terrorism after receiving Baghdad’s rigid request.

“General Soleimani is in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government to provide military counseling to the Iraqi forces,” the Arabic-language Sumeria news channel quoted al-Jafari as saying.

Also in June, Hashd al-Sha’abi Commander Abu Mehdi al-Mohandes underlined that General Soleimani is helping the Iraqi forces in their campaign against terrorism upon a request by the Iraqi government.

“The Iranian advisors, headed by dear brother Qassem Soleimani, have been beside us since the start of war and his presence has happened upon the demand of the Iraqi government and agreement of the Armed Forces’ top commander,” Mohandes said in an interview with Sumeria news channel.

He, meantime, said that the Iraqi nation is able to kick the terrorists out of Iraq with the possibilities in their hands now, adding that Hashd al-Sha’abi doesn’t have any political plan and merely supports the political process.

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SAA 1st ARMORED DIVISION DESTROYED 4 BATTLE TANKS FROM JABHAT AL NUSRA IN GHOUTA

Combat footage of the SAA’s operations in Western Ghouta

SAA Soldier destroys convoy of militants in West Damascus

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Syria in Last 24 Hours: Terrorists Sustain Heavy Losses in Army Offensive in Dara’a Province

The Syrian army attacked the terrorists in Dara’a province, and inflicted heavy losses on them.

The Syrian army killed and wounded scores of terrorists in the Northeastern territories of Dara’a province.

The Syrian army also inflicted heavy losses on the terrorist groups in other key regions across Syria.

Dara’a

Syrian Army’s artillery units shelled heavily a long military column of ISIL’s vehicles and forces on a road to Northeastern Dara’a, inflicting major loss and casualties on the terrorists.

Syrian army artillery units opened heavy fire at a group of ISIL terrorists in al-Badiyeh region as they were heading to al-Lejat region.

The ISIL’s military convoy was on a road connecting North al-Shahib region to Sweida-Damascus highway when it came under the fire of artillery units.

The terrorists suffered a heavy death toll and their vehicles sustained major damage in the attack.

Positions of Fatah al-Sham Front (formerly al-Nusra Front) in Qasr al-Saudi region North of al-Bitar farms towards the town of Tafas also came under attack by the Syrian soldiers.

In the meantime, army troops targeted a Fatah al-Sham in al-Abasiyeh neighborhood, leaving several militants dead.

Homs

The Syrian Army and popular forces continued to beat ISIL terrorists back from two main oil-rich regions in Eastern Homs, establishing a 10-kilometer-deep buffer zone around one of them.

The Syrian ground troops that received strong air support from the Syrian and Russian fighter strikers inflicted major losses on the ISIL terrorists, driving the Takfiri terrorists out of more strategic heights in al-Sha’er oil-rich region.

In the meantime, the army soldiers pushed ISIL back from a terrain near al-Maher oilfield and established a deep buffer zone around the energy field.

Positions of Fatah al-Sham Front in the villages of Deir Foul and al-Za’afaraniyeh and al-Rastasn region in Northern Homs also came under heavy attacks by the Syrian army men.

Syrian military forces also targeted terrorists’ movements in the villages of Rahoum, Mas’adeh, Um al-Rish and Salam al-Sharghiyeh, destroying their bases and military vehicles.

Lattakia

A notorious field commander of Fatah al-Sham Front was killed in heavy fighting with the Syrian Army troops in the mountainous regions in Northern Lattakia.

Abu Yusuf al-Askari and a number of his forces were killed in Syrian army soldiers’ attack on Fatah al-Sham’s positions along a road to the town of Kabani in the Kurds mountain.

Meanwhile, Syrian warplanes targeted bases, artillery and mortar units of the terrorist groups near the towns and villages of Jabal Kanz, Tadin, Kafr Sandou, Kandeh, Marand and Qarfous in Northern Lattakia, inflicting a heavy death toll on the militants.

Aleppo

Syrian Army troops and Air Force struck a large gathering of the terrorist groups in the Northern outskirts of Aleppo city, killing or wounding scores of them and foiling their plan to hit government strongholds, a military source disclosed Tuesday.

“Following sensitive intel received from army agent in the region, the Syrian government forces and fighter jets carried out surprise attacks on terrorists’ concentration centers in Haraytan and al-Malaah regions near Castello road to preempt them and defuse their plan for raiding army positions in the Northern outskirts of Aleppo city,” an army officer told FNA.

“Dozens of militants were killed or wounded in the attack, and now the Castello road is safe and under the army’s full control,” he added.

Elsewhere, a notorious commander of the Turkey-backed terrorist group of Nouralddeen al-Zinki was killed in clashes with the Syrian Army and popular forces in Salahuddin district.

Abu Omar Danial was killed in a heavy fighting with Syrian government forces in Salahuddin district Southwest of Aleppo city.

In the meantime, Syrian government forces captured several building blocks in Salahuddin after hours of non-stop clashes with al-Zinki terrorists.

The Syrian army and popular forces also engaged in fierce clashes with Jeish al-Fatah in the districts of Sheikh Saeed, and al-Ameriyeh, beating them back from more positions.

Syrian army’s artillery and missile units, for their part, continued to shell terrorists’ centers in Housing Project 1070, and the Syrian soldiers are now engaged in an intense battle with terrorists to take back Mouteh, Ahad and al-Mohebah hills near al-Bazo height.

Syrian and Russian fighter jets, for their part, have been bombing terrorists’ gatherings and bases in the town of Khan Touman, Rashedeen region, Ramouseh road, near Housing Project 1070, and the districts of Bostan al-Pasha, Suleiman al-Halabi and Sheikh Saeed.

Damascus

Terrorist groups lost at least 23 rebels as their attack on government positions in Western Ghouta was repelled by the Syrian Army troops and popular forces.

Syrian government forces fended off terrorist groups’ offensive on their strongholds along Khan al-Sheih-Deir al-Khabiyeh road, inflicting 23 casualties on the militants and destroying at least three tanks of the Takfiri groups.

The clashes occurred in al-Diwan neighborhood in the Southwestern countryside of Deir al-Khabiyeh.

In the meantime, the Syrian fighter jets pounded Jeish al-Islam’s centers near the town of al-Reihan in Eastern Damascus.

Hama

Terrorist groups lost at least 23 rebels as their attack on government positions in Western Ghouta was repelled by the Syrian Army troops and popular forces.

Syrian government forces fended off terrorist groups’ offensive on their strongholds along Khan al-Sheih-Deir al-Khabiyeh road, inflicting 23 casualties on the militants and destroying at least three tanks of the Takfiri groups.

The clashes occurred in al-Diwan neighborhood in the Southwestern countryside of Deir al-Khabiyeh.

In the meantime, the Syrian fighter jets pounded Jeish al-Islam’s centers near the town of al-Reihan in Eastern Damascus.

Fatah al-Sham also lost a large number of military vehicles and tanks in the attacks.

The Russian air force also targeted terrorists’ centers on the Eastern side of al-Salamiyah, inflicting major loss and casualties on the militants.

Military sources said that heavy bombardments of the Russian and Syrian fighter jets pave the ground for the government forces to launch fresh operation to take back Souran and Taybat al-Imam.

Farsnews

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