Capture of the Last Road in West Mosul; ISIS Militants Surrounded

Iraqi army units supported by the United States took control of the last exit road from west Mosul on Wednesday, March 2, effectively trapping Islamic State (ISIS) militants in a limited area within the city. A general from the 9th Armored Division of Iraq stated in a phone call to Reuters that his forces are one kilometer from the Syrian gate in west Mosul, adding, "This road is practically under our control." According to Reuters, residents of Mosul reported that since Tuesday, March 1, they have been unable to use this road, which starts at the Syrian gate. This road connects Mosul to the city of Tal Afar, another important base for ISIS located 60 kilometers west of Mosul, and continues towards Syria. Iraqi forces captured eastern Mosul after a hundred days of fighting and began their assault on western areas of the Tigris River ten days ago. If they manage to defeat ISIS in Mosul, the self-proclaimed caliphate branch of the group in Iraq, declared by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2014, will be destroyed. British General Robert Jones, deputy commander of operational strike forces in the region, stated that the U.S.-led coalition is defeating ISIS militants at such a speed that they cannot replace their forces. U.S. General Stephen Townsend also mentioned that he believes U.S.-backed forces will retake the cities of Mosul and Raqqa, the main center of ISIS in Syria, within the next six months. Meanwhile, General Abdul Wahab al-Saidi, deputy commander of counter-terrorism forces stationed in southwest Mosul, said that the blockage of the highway heading west means that militants are trapped inside the city. Iraqi army units trained with U.S. assistance are trying to join rapid reaction units of the Iraqi Federal Police and the 9th Armored Division to tighten the siege around neighborhoods controlled by ISIS. General al-Saidi stated, "Many of them have been killed, and those who are still alive have either retreated to residential neighborhoods or have been killed in recent clashes." According to Reuters, the Mamoun neighborhood in west Mosul resembles a ghost town. A few families still residing there reported that they do not leave their homes for fear of explosive traps set by militants. It is estimated that several thousand militants, including foreigners who have joined ISIS from European and Western countries, are still in the city of Mosul, most of them located in residential neighborhoods in the west of the city. The civilian population of Mosul was estimated to be around 750,000 at the beginning of the recent military operation. According to the Iraqi government, 26,000 people have been displaced from western Mosul neighborhoods so far. United Nations statistics indicate that since the start of the Mosul liberation operation in mid-October, over 175,000 people have been displaced from the city. Relief agencies estimate that the number of military and civilian casualties from the battles is several thousand. According to Reuters, counter-terrorism forces and rapid reaction units of the Iraqi Ministry of Interior have reached within 400 meters of state and government buildings in Mosul. Capturing these buildings will help Iraqi forces attack rebel positions in the old city sections and will also play a significant symbolic role in restoring state and central political power. Meanwhile, Iraqi army engineers have begun repairing the southernmost bridge in Mosul, which was captured by government forces on Monday, March 1. This bridge is one of five bridges in Mosul, all of which have been damaged due to airstrikes. In this context, Iraqi forces are on the verge of retaking government buildings in west Mosul, have captured an important bridge over the Tigris River, and continue their advance in west Mosul. The Prime Minister of Iraq has ordered airstrikes against ISIS positions in Syria, and Iraqi forces have retaken Mosul airport and a military base from ISIS.