Iraqi Forces Retake Strategic City from ISIS South of Mosul

The Iraqi army, supported by airstrikes from the U.S.-led international coalition, successfully recaptured the strategic city center of "Shirqat" from the Islamic State group on Thursday, October 1. This victory is seen as a step forward in preparing for the operation to retake the city of Mosul from ISIS control. According to Reuters, a source in the Salahuddin operations command, which oversees military operations in the area, stated that the army, with the support of local forces and Sunni tribal fighters, managed to liberate the municipal building and the central hospital, while clashes with ISIS militants continue. Shirqat is located 100 kilometers south of Mosul on the banks of the Tigris River, and Iraqi forces, along with Iranian-backed Shiite militias, have it surrounded. However, these militias did not participate in the Shirqat operation. After Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the Shirqat operation on Tuesday morning, Iraqi forces quickly advanced in the area. Given Shirqat's proximity to the supply lines of Iraqi forces leading to the Qayyarah airbase, which serves as a logistics hub for the Mosul operation, the city holds significant strategic importance. Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing to determine whether ISIS militants used chemical weapons in their missile attack near U.S. forces stationed at the Qayyarah base. Clashes continue in various parts of Shirqat, with a source from the Iraqi operations command reporting that ISIS militants have formed groups of three to four and are resisting in some homes. It is believed that tens of thousands of civilians are trapped in areas controlled by ISIS. However, the Shirqat operation did not trigger a large wave of civilian flight, unlike similar operations in previous months. A spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees stated that a large-scale civilian exodus did not occur since the start of the Shirqat operation on Tuesday, with only 32 people leaving their homes on Wednesday. Iraqi forces hope that the course of the operation will allow most civilians in conflict areas to seek refuge in their residences and prevent another humanitarian crisis as they advance toward Mosul, where about one million civilians still reside. U.S. and Iraqi officials say that the Mosul offensive is likely to begin next October, although concerns remain about the success of the plans laid out for the operation. Hawija, located east of Shirqat, remains one of ISIS's bases in southern Mosul. The group also controls the city of Tal Afar in western Mosul, near the Syrian border.