Civilians Trapped As Iraqi Army Advances Into Western Mosul

Up to 750,000 civilians are caught in the battle zone as Iraqi security forces push further into western Mosul routing ISIS fighters from the al-Tayyaran and al-Maamoun neighborhoods.

Euro News reports:

Backed by aerial support from the US-led coaltion, Iraqi forces launched a new push into Mosul from the west after declaring the other side of the city “fully liberated”.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, the Federal Police Commandos Division moved into the Tayaran neighbourhood, which is now “under their full control”.

U.S.-backed Iraqi forces pushed deeper into western #Mosul on Sunday, aiming to capture a bridge across the Tigris. @Reuters pic.twitter.com/oKYTE84vXe

— The Baghdad Post (@TheBaghdadPostE) February 26, 2017

Brigadier Gen. Haider Fadhil of the Iraqi special forces said that the Mamun neighbourhood has also been liberated, despite ferocious opposition from ISIL fighters.

“The neighborhood is fully liberated,” he said. “We are clearing it up and beefing up fortifications.”

ISF liberate Mamun district from IS in West Mosul
Via @iraqi_day pic.twitter.com/m7feLXxTE4

— لوميس روبيرتو (@loomisroberto) February 26, 2017

Militants used drones to drop explosives on the advancing troops and launched a tirade of suicide car bomb attacks as the Iraqi army progressed into the ISIL stronghold, however, civilians trapped amid the fighting remain a grave concern.

Civilians continue to flee the bloodshed as the Iraqi army tries to liberate the city.

Over a thousand are believed to have lost there lives, and close to 200,000 have been displaced.

UN figures suggest that over 750,000 people are trapped in their homes in the west of the city, threatening to slow the progress of the Iraqi troops as they try to differentiate between friend and foe.

Western Mosul is the last significant urban area ISIL holds in Iraq.

It fell to the militant group in 2014, along with large areas of Iraq and Syria.