Iraq: Iraqi troops enter Mosul city limits
Iraqi special forces entered the eastern outskirts of Mosul on Tuesday, as the battle to oust the Islamic State group from the country’s second largest city continued.
Troops supported by United States-led coalition airstrikes launched artillery, tank and machine gun fire on militant positions before entering the city’s Gogjali neighborhood. Extremists retaliated with guided anti-tank missiles and small arms, the Associated Press reported.
It is the first time the troops have entered Mosul since 2014, when the militant group, also known as ISIL and ISIS, captured it. The battle to retake the city has raged for more than two weeks.
“The special forces have stormed in,” Gen. Sami al-Aridi of the Iraqi special forces told the AP. He said the troops were 800 yards from the more centrally located Karama district.