The Second Phase of the Mosul Recapture Operation Begins

Iraqi forces began the second phase of the operation to retake the city of Mosul from ISIS on Thursday, January 9. Reuters reported on the latest developments in Iraq, stating that in this phase of the Mosul operation, Iraqi forces are advancing towards eastern Mosul from three routes to resume progress in areas where advances had been halted for about a month. Since anti-terrorism forces initiated the Mosul recapture operation two and a half months ago, a quarter of the city has been liberated, while the Iraqi Prime Minister had predicted that the entire city would be freed by the end of the current year or mid-January, but the advance in Mosul has been slower than anticipated, a situation that Iraqi army commanders attribute to the necessity of protecting civilian lives. Reuters noted that on Thursday, over 50,000 soldiers and federal police forces of Iraq, who had moved from their initial positions in the southern outskirts of Mosul, entered some neighborhoods in southeastern Mosul. Simultaneously, anti-terrorism forces have also advanced in the Al-Quds and Al-Karama areas after reinforcements arrived. The report reflects the statements of General Ali al-Fraiji, the commander of the northern axis of the Mosul operation, who said that from 7 AM on Thursday, advances from three fronts towards the city center began. According to this military official, the operation will continue throughout Thursday and Friday until all eastern parts of the city are completely liberated. The liberation of Mosul is likely to mark the end of ISIS's ambitions, as they had declared the city their caliphate center since capturing it in 2014. In fact, Mosul is the last major area that this group still controls in Iraq, a city that is considered one of the important economic and political centers of Iraq and the second most populous city in the country.