Feature: Iraqi troops battle IS militants in Mosul at cost of blood
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E-mail Xinhua, July 1, 2017
by Wei Yudong
MOSUL, Iraq, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Among the ruins of destroyed buildings, a narrow alley wound its way toward Mosul's al-Nuri mosque, which was torn into pieces by Islamic State (IS) extremists a few days ago.
At a corner of the alley, two soldiers from Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) were standing in silence against the wall, with faces lowered.
"NO PICTURES!" The two young men, noticing reporters approaching, shouted in a very loud tone, unlike most other Iraqi soldiers who are usually very receptive when facing cameras.
As the reporters put down their cameras, the two soldiers turned around and looked into a building behind them, when several of their comrades walked out of it, carrying a long stretcher.
On the stretcher was the body of a killed soldier, wrapped up in a rugged blanket with some blood on it.
He lost his life a few hours ago in the fight to retake the landmark al-Nuri mosque and its famous leaning minaret, which is at the heart of the western Mosul.
Retaking al-Nuri mosque is considered a big victory for Iraqi military because it was where IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced in July 2014 the establishment of a worldwide caliphate, the so-called Islamic State.
In October 2016, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the battle to liberate Mosul. Eastern Mosul was liberated late January this year. On June 18, Iraqi army launched the offensive to liberate the Old City, the last district still held by IS militants in western Mosul.
But the operation has been dragging on because the densely-populated neighborhood and extremely narrow streets in this area hinder the progress of Iraqi soldiers.
IS militants have deployed booby traps, roadside bombs and snipers to resist government troops. The military has never released any numbers of casualties, but just as some analysts warn, the battle inside Mosul has settled into a grinding war of attrition.
Abdulllah al-Obeidi, an Iraqi political expert, said IS militants have been defeated, but their defeat was "never without heavy cost."
The cost is paid not only by the soldiers, but also the civilians.
According to the statistics provided by the United Nations, about 100,000 were trapped in the Old City before the start of offensive.
Civilians are often used as human shields, as militants often hide among the civilians and launch deadly attacks to repel the government advancing forces.
On June 23, a suicide bomber blew himself up among a group of civilians fleeing the battle in the Old City, killing at least 12.
Yet not all civilians are trying to escape.
In a small room near the frontline behind al-Nuri mosque, a woman was seen among a group of Iraqi CTS soldiers, which is quite a rare sight in Iraq.
Her name is Surour. She worked here as a medic with her husband.
"This is my hometown. So many people have died. I just want to help our soldiers. They have sacrificed a lot," said Surour. Enditem
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