Iraq: Iraqi forces retake Mosul airport from ISIS militants
Iraqi forces have regained control of the airport in Mosul, part of a months-long operation to push ISIS militants from the key city.
The airport — largely destroyed by ISIS forces — is now fully under Iraqi Federal Police control, said Col. Abdel Amir Mohamed, commander of the Rapid Response Unit of the Federal Police.
Iraqi forces launched a new bid to take the western areas of the city from the militant group on Sunday after declaring in late January that the east had been liberated.
Iraqi forces have faced ISIS suicide car bombs and improvised explosive devices. Counter-terrorism forces have stormed the al-Ghazlani military base west of the airport. There has been heavy fighting between Iraqi forces and ISIS at Mosul’s main electrical power station. Iraqi forces aim to take airport, military base and power station by the end of the day. Residents say ISIS is searching homes for cell phones.