Waiting for the end {Daesh}

Waiting for the end {Daesh}

 

5/21/2017 0:00

Thomas Gibbons Neff Thomas Gibbons-Neff and Mustafa Salem
translation - Anis al - Saffar
after the rapid gains made by Iraqi forces through the new offensive are applied now grip stifling the last stronghold holed up in which several hundred elements "Daesh" inside the alleys of Mosul , the old winding streets back narrow.
Officials say the recent raid will take over the leadership of the Iraqi anti - terrorism units that received training at the hands of the Americans, the same forces that stormed the eastern outskirts of Mosul in October at the start of the battle to restore the city.
The plan includes clearing the few remaining neighborhoods to the north of the old city to surround the neighborhood, measuring about 2.6 square kilometers. However , the battle could quickly turn into a humanitarian crisis because of the presence of tens of thousands of civilians crammed into this space that are trying to "Daesh" defend the fighters and snipers and car bombs.
Some military commanders Iraqis say they will try to resolve the battle over the next two weeks before it resolves the month of Ramadan and the heads of many soldiers to fasting during the day, but it is not yet clear whether the end campaign is possible soon because of the means and methods practiced by elements of the organization in the defense neighborhoods in their hands.
Lieutenant - General Sami Arda estimated, commander of strength belonging functions of a counter - terrorism, the number of elements of the organization in the old city between 250 and 350 elements , many of them French and Russian, along with more than 200 thousand Iraqi civilians, but the other leaders in the anti - terrorism forces Iqdrunhm more than one thousand compared to to the size of the resistance that they face are still on the ground.
The old city has important symbolic significance, it is there .. of the Great Mosque .. announced the terrorist organization leader Abu Bakr al - Baghdadi , about the establishment of what he described as a "caliphate" in 2014 on the alleged parts of the territory of Iraq and Syria.
This neighborhood also represents a hot challenge for units of anti - terrorism device, a force that was formed in the wake of the US - led invasion of Iraq in 2003 to be the power of the elite costs mainly the implementation of the raids, but it was gradually transformed after the emergence of "Daesh" to the infantry unit offensive head of the Iraqi army. Others say Arda also officers they Athaoon to attack the old city, but they are working to modify some of their tactics in the streets and alleys of narrow cleansing.
In earlier stages of the anti - terror apparatus soldiers advancing and they are fighting on board their vehicles often Mstaidyn neighborhoods one after another using their cars Humvees and bulldozers , armored systematically to close the intended street before moving on foot to control the surrounding buildings , according to the semi - grid pattern. The more liberated neighborhood neighborhoods were civilians often flocking coming out of their homes Phipption provide troops then go off to get them to safety. On Thursday , he said "Lizzy Grande" coordinated UN humanitarian affairs in Iraq that the International Organization expects the escape of more than 200 thousand civilians when Iraqi forces are advancing towards the old city, a sexy number to worry, says Grande.
In the old city will no longer be feasible dozers modified after it was the primary means adopted to stop cars loaded with explosives and the removal of obstacles set up by militants "Daesh", it is likely to be left in the back on the main streets while dismounting Special Forces soldiers to come forward on foot. The organization has continuously increased use of motorcycle loaded with explosives is expected to resort to this method is the highest density in the old city.
Says Brigadier General Ali Jamal, head of the department Allojstien officers of the anti - terrorism forces, he asked the coalition led by the United States to provide him with Bbldozrat smaller, but received only three , all without armor. The force led by Brigadier - General Ali had lost eight bulldozers since the beginning of the campaign possible to withdraw some of the wreckage to headquarters and left each other in other parts of the city. On Thursday , three dozers drivers were injured by car bombs and snipers fire.
One of the drivers injured, named Corporal Mahmoud Ali, had blocked a car packed with explosives driven by a suicide bomber while he was working in a clean Rifai neighborhood and clashed with them. Before the explosion of the car directly managed Corporal Mahmoud pushed toward a nearby wall, a moment recorded Fedoaa on his cell phone and then it Tlaagaftha sites. Corporal was hurt only minor injuries caused by shrapnel and spent the next day behind the lines section displays the image on the reporters.
In addition to the loss of dozers anti - terrorism forces may also have to reduce reliance on air strikes carried out by coalition aircraft during cleared the old city. Since Iraqi forces entered the city of Mosul , it increased accusations of the United States and the rest of the coalition forces in the killing of thousands of civilians during the air campaign in Iraq and Syria, and the numerous allegations of cases of bombing by mistake.
It was air support essential in helping the anti - terrorist forces to penetrate deep into the city without having to incur significant losses, which is necessary now , as well as expected anti - terror units to continue clearing parts of western Iraq after the completion of the control of the city of Mosul, as advisers say troops Alliance working with this unit.
Because of the use of "Daesh" for the style of human shields, and in addition to the large numbers of civilians remaining in the old city, any form of air strikes will be subject to intense scrutiny in order to ensure that the strike is not affecting one organization fighters. In the month of last March resulted in an air strike launched by US aircraft at the request of anti - terrorism forces killed more than 100 people in the new neighborhood in Mosul, the coalition is still under investigation on this incident.
Says Colonel Staff Fadhil, a battalion commander had already worked with the Special Operations US and Australian forces to call air strikes, said the anti - terrorism forces may increase their reliance on dropping targets planned in advance and then moving into the old city, it is not yet clear how it will be the application of this technique, especially if you try to "Daesh" exploit the convergence of the buildings in the area and tried to isolate the Iraqi forces advancing in the form of small groups and hit.
Staff Colonel says: "We are ready to enter the old city, and all we are waiting for is the issuance of the execution order." From the Washington Post

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