ISIS in big trouble as the Iraqi Army special forces tighten noose in Mosul city

Moments ago, the Iraqi Army’s special forces – heavily assisted by the Iraqi Army’s 9th Armored Division – entered their first suburb in the eastern part of Mosul city.

Advancing from recently liberated Gogjali, government troops seized several buildings in the Hay Intisar neighbourhood but were encountered by a strong ISIS first line of defence.

Some 5,000 ISIS fighters are estimated to be mobilized in Mosul, a city also home to over 1,000,000 Iraqi civilians.

Meanwhile, the pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) continued their gains west of Mosul and took control of Ghazila village just minutes ago. According to the PMU, at least 25 ISIS fighters were killed during the advance.

Yesterday, the PMU seized the main road between Raqqa and Mosul, effectively obstructing the Islamic State’s logistics from Iraq to Syria and vice versa.

Since beginning the Mosul campaign less than three weeks ago, the Iraqi Army has liberated approximately 150 villages from ISIS in the Nineveh governorate.