Iraqi Army Clashes to Capture Last Stronghold of Islamic State in Mosul

Reports indicate that Iraqi forces are engaged in clashes with "several hundred" Islamic State (ISIS) members in a small section of the old city of Mosul on Monday, July 10. According to Iraqi army commanders, "hundreds" of ISIS members remain in some alleys of this area, using women and children as human shields upon entering homes. Major General Haidar Fadhil, an officer in the Iraqi special forces, stated that Iraqi soldiers are slowly advancing in this area and added that even after the complete liberation of the last neighborhood of the city, operations to neutralize ISIS's "sleeper cells" and dismantle explosives will continue for some time. Lieutenant General Sami al-Aridi, a commander of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service, told AFP that the remaining area under ISIS control in Mosul is "about 200 meters by 100 meters." He added that the remaining ISIS members in this area are responding negatively to surrender proposals, loudly declaring, "We will not surrender; we want to die." Abdul Ghani al-Asadi, a senior commander of the Iraqi special forces, explained in interviews that there is no accurate estimate of the number of remaining ISIS members in the old city of Mosul and the families besieged in this area. However, he noted that public belief is that most civilians remaining in the old city are families of ISIS members and relatives of ISIS forces. Previously, reports had emerged about the transfer of families of ISIS members by the Iraqi army from Mosul to desert camps far from the city, "to prevent retaliatory actions by neighbors and the people of the city against them." Abdul Ghani al-Asadi clarified that "anyone without a weapon is considered a civilian by us, and we will not accuse them." Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced on Sunday afternoon during his visit to Mosul the end of the battles and the "liberation" of this city from the control of the Islamic State group. Mr. Abadi's office reported that the Prime Minister congratulated the people of Iraq and the army on their victory over ISIS while addressing units of the Iraqi army. On Monday, Bahram Qasemi, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, stated in his press conference, "I congratulate Iraq on its success in fighting terrorism and liberating Mosul." The battle to retake Mosul has been ongoing for eight months and has left thousands dead and over 897,000 displaced, according to reports. With the loss of Mosul, the remaining areas under ISIS control in Iraq will be limited to rural areas west and south of Mosul and the deserts of those regions.