Iraqi armed forces targeted Islamic state terrororists militants (ISIS, ISIL, IS and Daesh) in the Qaber Al Abed village, near Hammam Al-Alil on Friday (November 11) as part of a wider operation to recapture Mosul from ISIS.
The rapid response unit fired heavy artillery and machine guns towards militants thought to still be in the area.
""We are targeting ISIS militants, the rapid response team with support by the ninth regiment. God willing not much is left, we will capture it all. We want to give the people of Mosul the good news, soon we will liberate you all," said Munir Abdelwahed, a soldier."
The rapid response unit also found bodies of militants that had been killed by coalition air strikes. "These bodies belong to Daesh fighters, who were here wearing suicide belts. We hit them with an air strike and with BMB missile," said Hassan Lazem, a soldier in the unit.
The operation to retake Mosul, involving a 100,000-strong alliance of troops, security forces, Kurdish peshmerga and Shiite Muslim militias (Hashd Al Shabbi)and backed by US-led air strikes, has entered its fourth week but has so far gained just a small foothold in the city.
ISIS terrorists have executed scores more people around Mosul this week and are reportedly stockpiling ammonia and sulphur in civilian areas, possibly for use as chemical weapons, U.N. human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said on Friday.
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