Civilians evacuated from Mosul’s eastern districts

By Ali Sheikho

NINEVEH, Iraq

Iraqi forces on Wednesday evacuated more than 3,000 civilians from eastern districts of the Daesh-held city of Mosul, according to a military source.

One day earlier, Iraqi counter-terrorism forces captured Mosul’s eastern Kokjeli district and the Al-Shallalat area, the latter of which is considered the northern gateway into the city.

Major-General Sami al-Aredi, a commander of Iraq’s counter-terrorism forces, said in a televised statement that civilian residents had been evacuated from Mosul’s eastern Al-Karama and Kokjeli districts to displacement camps on the city’s outskirts.

"Counter-terrorism forces are now advancing in Al-Karama with a view to totally liberating the district [from Daesh]," al-Aredi said.

In a related development, an Iraqi official announced on Wednesday that the total number of local people displaced since the Mosul campaign began more than two weeks ago now stood at some 16,000.

"Camps set up near Mosul for the displaced have taken in some 16,000 people -- including numerous women and children -- since the military operation began," Jassim al-Attiyah, undersecretary of Iraq’s Immigration Ministry, told Anadolu Agency.

-Southern axis

Army Colonel Ahmed al-Jabouri, meanwhile, told Anadolu Agency that Iraqi forces had also launched a parallel operation aimed at recapturing Mosul’s southern Hamma al-Alil district.

According to al-Jabouri, Iraqi forces have already "liberated" two villages lying southwest of the district.

Located almost 30 kilometers south of Mosul, Hamma al-Alil is the last district in the area to remain under Daesh control.

The area’s recapture is expected to pave the way for a broad Iraqi army advance on southern neighborhoods of Mosul city.

Also on Wednesday, the Hashd al-Shaabi -- an umbrella group of pro-government Shia militias -- announced it had taken another four villages west of Mosul from Daesh militants.

On Oct. 18, the Iraqi army, backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, launched a wide-ranging operation aimed at retaking Mosul, which Daesh overran in mid-2014.