Kurds pause in Mosul offensive, say Iraqi Army will advance

Capture a handful of villages to the east of the city

October 18, 2016 12:34 pm | Updated November 17, 2021 06:00 am IST - KHAZER, Iraq

The battle for Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city and the IS group’s last urban bastion, started on Monday. Photo shows Iraqi forces during the operation.

The battle for Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city and the IS group’s last urban bastion, started on Monday. Photo shows Iraqi forces during the operation.

Iraq’s Kurdish forces said on Tuesday they were pausing their advance in Mosul after capturing a handful of villages to the east from Islamic State. Meanwhile, the the Iraqi Army pressed ahead with the next stage of the operation to retake the IS-held city.

Col. Khathar Sheikhan of the Kurdish forces said his troops achieved their objectives and “are just holding our positions” in the Khazer area on Tuesday.

The pause comes after a day of intense fighting in the city, involving airstrikes, heavy artillery and IS car bombs.

The battle for Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city and the IS group’s last urban bastion, started on Monday. It’s expected to take weeks or even months.

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