Recent Advance of Iraqi Military Forces in the Western Part of Mosul

According to Iraqi officials, the military forces of the country have successfully liberated part of the northwestern areas of Mosul and transferred dozens of civilians to safe zones in the latest phase of their operation to retake the city. Raed Shakir, a senior official in the Iraqi Federal Police, announced on May 6 that they have taken control of the Al-Haramat area in northwestern Mosul, which means another half-kilometer advance in western Mosul. The eastern part of Mosul has recently been liberated from the control of the group known as the Islamic State, but the complete liberation of the city depends on controlling the densely populated western areas. The latest phase of the Iraqi forces' operations in western Mosul began on May 2, and a day before the liberation of Al-Haramat, Iraqi officials reported control of the Al-Musharifah area. The United Nations estimates that between 300,000 to 500,000 civilians still remain in areas under ISIS control in Mosul. Relief and aid organizations have warned about the dwindling supplies of water, food, and other necessities for civilians in these areas, and even in regions controlled by Iraqi government forces. The UN states that in parts of Mosul, the transfer of drinking water and food for civilians has been halted for nearly six months. The Iraqi forces, composed of the country's army, special police forces, Kurdish Peshmerga, and government-supported militias, have been conducting the operation to retake Mosul since October 18 of last year. Mosul was captured by the Islamic State militants during major advances in 2014. In addition to Mosul, US-backed militants in Syria are also fighting to liberate Raqqa with the support of a coalition led by Washington.