Have you heard about battle of mosul ????

The Battle of Mosul (Arabic: معركة الموصل‎‎; Central Kurdish: شەڕی مووسڵ‎) is a joint offensive by Iraqi government forces with allied militias, the Kurdistan Regional Government, and international forces to retake the city of Mosul from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).[73][74][75] The offensive, dubbed Operation “We Are Coming, Nineveh” (قادمون يا نينوى; Qadimun Ya Naynawa),[76][77] began on 16 October 2016, with forces besieging ISIL-controlled areas in the Nineveh Governorate surrounding Mosul.[78][79][80] The battle for Mosul is considered key in the military intervention against ISIL, which seized the city in June 2014.[81] Outnumbering ISIL forces 10 to 1, it is the largest deployment of Iraqi troops since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[82]

The operation follows the Mosul offensives in 2015 and 2016. The offensive began with Iraqi troops and Peshmerga fighters engaging ISIL on three fronts outside Mosul, going from village to village in the surrounding area. More than 120 towns and villages were liberated from ISIL control in the first two weeks of fighting. At dawn on 1 November 2016, Iraqi Special Operations Forces entered the city from the east.[83] Met with fierce fighting, the government advance into the city was slowed by elaborate defenses – including road blocks, booby traps, suicide bombers and snipers – and by the presence of civilians.[84] The Iraqi Prime Minister announced all parts of eastern Mosul had been liberated on 24 January 2017.[85] Iraqi troops were then regrouped and began their offensive to liberate western Mosul on 19 February 2017.[86]

The Battle of Mosul is concurrent with the Battle of Sirte (2016) in Libya, and the Raqqa campaign by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), on ISIL’s capital city and stronghold in Syria.
General background
Main articles: Fall of Mosul and Mosul offensive (2015)
Mosul is Iraq’s second most populous city. It fell to 800–1,500 ISIL militants in June 2014, because of the largely Sunni population’s deep distrust of the primarily Shia Iraqi government, and its corrupt armed forces.[49][88] It was in the Great Mosque in Mosul that ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the beginning of ISIL’s self-proclaimed “caliphate” which spans Iraq and Syria.[88] The original population of 2.5 million has fallen to approximately 1.5 million after two years of ISIL rule. The city was once extremely diverse, with ethnic minorities including Armenians, Yazidis, Assyrian, Turkmen, and Shabak people, all of whom have suffered and continue to suffer considerably under the (majority Sunni Arab) Islamic State.[89] Mosul remains the last stronghold of ISIL in Iraq,[90] and the anticipated offensive to reclaim it was promoted as the “mother of all battles”.[91][92][93][94]

Preparations for the battle
Main article: Mosul offensive (2016)
In the weeks leading up to the ground offensive, the US-led CJTF – OIR coalition bombed ISIL targets, and the Iraqi Army made gradual advances on the city.[82] Royal Air Force’s Reaper drones, Typhoons, and Tornados targeted “rocket launchers, ammunition stockpiles, artillery pieces and mortar positions” in the 72 hours before the ground assault began.[95] Leaflets dropped on the city by the Iraqi military advised young male residents to “rise up” against ISIL when the battle began.[90] To prepare defenses against the assault, ISIL operatives dug 4 m2 holes around the city, which they planned to fill with burning oil to reduce visibility[82] and slow advances.[46] They also built hundreds of elaborate tunnels in the villages surrounding Mosul, rigged with explosives and booby-traps, and laid improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and mines along the roads.[96] There was considerable concern that ISIL might employ chemical weapons against soldiers and civilians.[97]

According to Iraqi sources, the assault towards Mosul was being waged from Al-Khazer axis (east of Mosul), Mosul Dam (northern axis), Baashiqa axis (eastern axis), Al-Qayyarah axis (southern axis), and Talul el-Baj- Al-Khadr axis (southwestern axis).
About 3,000–5,000 ISIL fighters were estimated to be in Mosul city, according to the United States Department of Defense.[99] Other estimates ranged as low as 2,000 and high as 12,000 ISIL fighters.[49][51] Mosul Eye estimated approximately 8,000–9,000 fighters loyal to ISIL, with “[h]alf of them… highly trained, and the rest… either teenagers or not well trained. About ten percent of the fighters are foreign (Arabs and non-Arabs). The rest are Iraqis. Most are from Nineveh’s townships and districts.”[100] Prior to the start of the battle, in late September 2016, it was estimated that around 20,000 ISIL fighters were living in Mosul,[101] many of whom later fled the city to Syria and Ar-Raqqah, when Iraqi forces began to besiege Mosul.

The Iraqi-led coalition was initially estimated by CNN to have 94,000 members,[102] but this number was later revised upward to 108,500;[47] 54,000 to 60,000 Iraqi security forces (ISF) soldiers, 16,000 Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) fighters (also referred to as PMU), and 40,000 Peshmerga (including approximately 200 Iranian Kurdish female fighters from the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK)[103] are deployed in the battle.[45][46]

Among the PMF units, the Nineveh Plain Protection Units composed of Assyrians are among the paramilitary forces in the government coalition.[104][105] Shia militias, including several brigades of the paramilitary organization Hashd al-Shaabi, the Peace Companies, Kata’ib Hezbollah, the League of the Righteous, the Badr Organization, Saraya Ashura, Saraya Khorasani, Kata’ib al-Imam Ali, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba and Turkmen Brigades also took part.[106][107] The Ezidi community of the Sinjar region contributed the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ) and Êzîdxan Women’s Units (YJÊ),[108] which are operating in concert with Sunni Arab Shammar tribal militias and People’s Defence Forces (HPG) of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).[109] Other Assyrian forces involved in the planned offensive includes the Nineveh Plain Forces (NPF) and Dwekh Nawsha, who are allied to the Peshmerga.
An international coalition of 60 nations, led by the United States, is supporting Iraq’s war against ISIL, providing logistical and air support, intelligence, and advice.[112] The international coalition forces are headquartered 60 kilometres (37 mi) south of Mosul at Qayyarah Airfield West (or Q-West) in Qayyarah, which was retaken from ISIL in June.[113] About 560 U.S. troops from the 101st Airborne Division were deployed to Q-West for the battle, including command and control elements, a security detachment, an airfield operations team, and logistics and communications specialists.[114] The U.S. deployed HIMARS rocket launchers and M777 howitzers, manned by the 101st’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team and the Golf Company, 526th Brigade Support Battalion. The French army deployed four CAESAR howitzers and 150 to 200 soldiers at Qayyarah, with 600 more French troops announced at the end of September.[115] An additional 150 French soldiers are in Erbil, east of Mosul, training Peshmerga.[107] The aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, with a squadron of 24 Rafale M jets, was deployed from Toulon to the Syrian coast to support the operation against ISIL through airstrikes and reconnaissance missions; 12 other Rafale jets are operating out of French Air Force bases in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).[116][117] 80 Australian special forces soldiers and 210 Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) soldiers were also deployed to assist the Peshmerga. In addition, the Canadian Forces 21 Electronic Warfare Regiment was also reported to be in the area, working to intercept and relay ISIL communications, while a Role 2 Canadian Army field hospital with 60 personnel has been set up to treat Peshmerga casualties.[
The Ba’ath loyalists group, known to be led by Saddam Hussein’s former vice president Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, issued a statement before the start of operations calling for the people of the city to start an uprising against ISIL and announced that they will fight the “terrorist organization.
On 16 October 2016, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared the beginning of the assault to recapture the city of Mosul.[80] Officials reported howitzers firing on ISIL targets later that day.[78] The main assault began on 17 October at approximately 6am,[90] with shelling and the arrival of armored vehicles to the front lines.[122] The Peshmerga in the Khazir region, east of Mosul, started the ground assault by advancing on ISIL-held villages from three fronts, while Iraqi security forces advanced from the south.[123] Iraqi troops advanced on the Bartella area east of Mosul while ISIL fighters fired mortars at Peshmerga.[124] The President of KRG, Massoud Barzani, said that Peshmerga and Iraqi government fighters retook 200 square kilometers (80 square miles) from ISIL on the first day of fighting.[125] Iraqi government officials reported that “heavy losses of life and equipment” were inflicted upon ISIL fighters in the Hamdaniya district southeast of Mosul. ISIL fighters who were wounded in the battle were reported to have been bussed towards its Syrian headquarters of Raqqa for medical aid.[45] The anti-ISIL coalition destroyed 52 targets during the day.[126] Family members of ISIL fighters fled from Mosul to the village of Nawran due to the shelling. It was also reported that some fighters had started shaving their beards and were getting rid of their Afghan uniforms.[127] ISIL was also reported to have evacuated and shifted its headquarters from the west side of Mosul to its east side.[128] A bridge into Mosul known as the “Freedom Bridge” was destroyed. Peshmerga sources blamed ISIL for its destruction, while ISIL claimed it was destroyed by airstrikes.[129]

18 October
On 18 October, the Iraqi government declared that twenty villages near Mosul were captured from ISIL in the first 24 hours of fighting by the Peshmerga and Iraqi forces.[130] On the southern front, Iraqi troops retook several villages near Qayyarah, including al-Sirt, Bajwaniya, al-Hud and al-Mashraf, and parts of the al-Hamdaniya District southeast of Mosul. Iraqi Federal Police also regained control of 56 oilfields in the Qayyarah district.[131] According to reports, the Peshmerga met little resistance on the eastern front, while Iraqi and PMF fighters coming from the south were facing tougher resistance from ISIL.[132]

The coalition strategy was reported to be to encircle Mosul completely, after which Iraqi troops would advance into the city-center.[133] Early in the day on 18 October, Iraqi forces in the east came close to Qaraqosh (Bakhdida), once the largest Assyrian town in Iraq, and fighters in the south were closing in on Hammam al-‘Alil.[126] Iraqi Army forces later stormed Qaraqosh and fought with ISIL fighters who remained holed up.[134][135][136] The Iraqi and Peshmerga advance had been slowed down during the same day due to suicide bombers, roadside IEDs and oil fires. In order to eliminate any ISIL presence completely from the villages on the outskirts of the city, they were carrying out street-by-street search operations.[137][138] The Peshmerga later paused their advance while the Iraqi Army continued its advance.
Pro-government fighters in the south of Mosul were battling pockets of ISIL fighters and snipers as they tried to reclaim the village of Abbasi,[140] and expected to soon take control of the village of Zawiya.[141] Fighting resumed in the village of Kani Harami, which was captured by the Iraqi Army a day earlier but recaptured by ISIL on 18 October as the Army lacked reinforcements.[135] The Army also retook the village of Al-Hud on the Tigris, where villagers had risen up against ISIL and killed at least 9 militants.[142][143] State police also secured the Al-Mishraq sulfur plant south of Mosul.[144] The al-Shura district was stated by its mayor to have been captured by the Iraqi security forces.[145] Joint airstrikes by Iraqi and coalition warplanes on ISIL headquarters in Mosul destroyed 13 targets and killed 35 militants.[146]

As the Iraqi Army advanced on Mosul, rebellion against ISIL broke out in the city. The group’s Islamic Police revolted and attacked four headquarters of the organisation. The revolt was put down with 7 rebellious leaders being killed and many militants being executed. A group of rebels attacked a headquarters of the group the next day, killed 2 militants and raised the Iraqi flag over the building. ISIL patrols in the city were also attacked.[147][148][149]

A group of Naqshabandi Army militants reportedly attacked an ISIL controlled checkpoint in the village of Al-Houd, wounding two ISIL militants before they were captured along with a few other militants who attacked a group of ISIL militants in the same village in coordination with the PMF on the day before. In total, 30 Naqshabandi militants were captured.[
The Iraqi army resumed fighting on 19 October, surrounding Qaraqosh with ISIL deploying snipers and car bombs.[151][152] Lt. Gen. Qassim al-Maliki declared that Iraqi forces had captured 13 villages north and northeast of Al Quwayr, south of Mosul. The Iraqi Army was also reported to be within 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the outskirts of Mosul.[153] The village of Kani Harami was captured after heavy fighting in the morning with the militants retreating to Abbasiyah.[154] A total of 22 towns were reported to have been captured, with 12 by the Peshmerga and 10 by the ISF.[155] Nofal Hammadi, governor of the Nineveh Governorate, declared that 40% of the province had been retaken from ISIL.[156]

The offensive to retake the town of Bashiqa northeast of Mosul, originally scheduled for dawn, was delayed due to lack of logistical support.[157] Thousands of Peshmerga were reportedly preparing to retake Bashiqa.[158] The international coalition’s commander Gary Voelsky also stated that a majority of ISIL leaders were fleeing Mosul and predicted foreign fighters will form the majority of militants remaining in the city.[159][160]

20 October
The fighting grew more intense on 20 October.[161] A large convoy of Golden Division arrived at positions retaken by the Peshmerga forces.[162] They also captured Bartella. ISIL fighters detonated 9 truck bombs during the fighting.[163] According to Maj. Gen. Maan al-Saadi of the Iraqi Army, 200 ISIL fighters were killed in the fight for Bartella.[161]

The Peshmerga and NPF also announced a “large-scale operation” to the north and northeast of Mosul, aiming to retake the Assyrian towns of Tesqopa and Bashiqa.[160][164] During the day, the Peshmerga liberated 6 villages, including 4 on the Bashiqa front line and 2 on the Nawaran front. In addition, they also entered another 4 villages. They briefly captured the village of Tiz Khirab but were forced to withdraw.[165] On the southern front, Iraqi forces resumed their push north after a brief pause[166] and recaptured six villages east of Qayyarah.[165]

A U.S. bomb disposal expert embedded with the Peshmerga was killed after the vehicle he was riding in drove over a roadside bomb.[167] ISIL also set Al-Mishraq sulfur plant on fire, causing two deaths and nearly 1,000 hospitalizations from sulfur fume inhalation.[168] An ISIL ambush near Bashiqa left dozens of Peshmerga dead or wounded.[166] The group was also reported to be digging trenches to slow the advancement of coalition troops.[169]

21 October
ISIL launched multiple attacks in Kirkuk on 21 October to divert military resources. Multiple explosions and gun battles in the city, mostly centered on a government compound were reported. A suicide bomber killed 13 workers, including four Iranians, at a power plant in Dibis. A senior Peshmerga commander said that attackers had entered by posing as IDPs.[170] Iraqi government forces meanwhile reported that they had retaken 2 more villages south of Mosul and killed 15 militants.
On 22 October, Iraqi police declared that ISIL’s attack on Kirkuk had been repelled and all attackers had been killed or had blown themselves up.[172] Iraqi officials also stated that 80 people were killed in Kirkuk, primarily Kurdish security forces, and about 170 wounded; 56 ISIL militants were also killed.[173] A reporter of Türkmeneli TV also died in the attack,[172] while at least seven journalists were wounded.[174]

A large-scale offensive began to retake the Assyrian town of Qaraqosh which remained under ISIL control after several days of fighting.[175] Iraqi troops also advanced on the town of Tel Keppe, north of Mosul.[176] Shifting winds sent the gas from the ablaze Al Mishraq sulphur plant to Qayyarah Airfield West, where U.S. and coalition forces were forced to use gas masks.[172] A journalist was also killed by a sniper in the al-Shura area.[172]

Mosul Eye reported that ISIL had executed detainees and teens aged 15–18 comprised the majority of ISIL fighters in Mosul. The group was also reported to have planted bombs and booby traps throughout the city and was preparing for battle.[177]

23–24 October
The Peshmerga claimed on 23 October that they had recaptured Bashiqa,[178][179] however it was reported on the following day that they were still trying to capture it with the help of the Turkish military.[180] The Peshmerga General Command also stated that Peshmerge had cordoned off 8 villages and had secured a significant stretch of the Bashiqa-Mosul highway. It also stated that they were now within 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) of the city.[181]

ISIL increased its counterattacks in order to distract the pro-government advancing towards Mosul. In addition to the attack on Kirkuk on 21 October, ISIL fighters struck Ar-Rutbah as well as Sinjar. Yazidi provincial chief Mahma Xelil said that at least 15 ISIL fighters were killed and two Peshmerga wounded in a two-hour battle in Sinjar. ISIL claimed its forces destroyed two Peshmerga vehicles, killing all on board.[182] Nearly 800 ISIL fighters had been killed while 78 villages were reported to have been retaken from the group as of 24 October.[183] The attack on Kirkuk was also brought to an end by 24 October, with 74 militants being killed and others including the leader of the attackers being arrested.
On 22 October, Iraqi police declared that ISIL’s attack on Kirkuk had been repelled and all attackers had been killed or had blown themselves up.[172] Iraqi officials also stated that 80 people were killed in Kirkuk, primarily Kurdish security forces, and about 170 wounded; 56 ISIL militants were also killed.[173] A reporter of Türkmeneli TV also died in the attack,[172] while at least seven journalists were wounded.[174]

A large-scale offensive began to retake the Assyrian town of Qaraqosh which remained under ISIL control after several days of fighting.[175] Iraqi troops also advanced on the town of Tel Keppe, north of Mosul.[176] Shifting winds sent the gas from the ablaze Al Mishraq sulphur plant to Qayyarah Airfield West, where U.S. and coalition forces were forced to use gas masks.[172] A journalist was also killed by a sniper in the al-Shura area.[172]

Mosul Eye reported that ISIL had executed detainees and teens aged 15–18 comprised the majority of ISIL fighters in Mosul. The group was also reported to have planted bombs and booby traps throughout the city and was preparing for battle.[177]

23–24 October
The Peshmerga claimed on 23 October that they had recaptured Bashiqa,[178][179] however it was reported on the following day that they were still trying to capture it with the help of the Turkish military.[180] The Peshmerga General Command also stated that Peshmerge had cordoned off 8 villages and had secured a significant stretch of the Bashiqa-Mosul highway. It also stated that they were now within 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) of the city.[181]

ISIL increased its counterattacks in order to distract the pro-government advancing towards Mosul. In addition to the attack on Kirkuk on 21 October, ISIL fighters struck Ar-Rutbah as well as Sinjar. Yazidi provincial chief Mahma Xelil said that at least 15 ISIL fighters were killed and two Peshmerga wounded in a two-hour battle in Sinjar. ISIL claimed its forces destroyed two Peshmerga vehicles, killing all on board.[182] Nearly 800 ISIL fighters had been killed while 78 villages were reported to have been retaken from the group as of 24 October.[183] The attack on Kirkuk was also brought to an end by 24 October, with 74 militants being killed and others including the leader of the attackers being arrested.
Iraqi forces were met with heavy resistance from ISIL as they attempted to clear the militants from villages in Shora, south of Mosul.[189] Hundreds of ISIL suicide bombers were reported to have been sent from Syria to defend Mosul.[190]

Meanwhile, Peshmerga forces captured the village of Derk, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) northeast of Mosul, where they discovered a large ISIL tunnel containing a large cache of weapons.[191] Stephen Townsend, the commander of US forces in Iraq, stated that coalition forces had delivered more than 2,100 aerial bombs, artillery and mortar shells, rockets and missiles since the offensive to retake Mosul started. The Iraqi government stated that that 57 Iraqi soldiers had been killed and about 250 wounded while 20 to 30 Peshmerga fighters are thought to have been killed.[192]

27 October
Captain Fahd al-Laithi of Iraq’s National Information Agency stated that 13 militants were killed in a coalition airstrike that targeted an IS concentration in the Hamam al-Alil district while Iraqi forces had managed to retake 2 villages to the south of Mosul.[193] The head of the United States Central Command, Gen. Joseph Votel stated that 800-900 militants had been killed in the battle.[192]

28 October
U.S. military officials estimated on 28 October that were 3,000 to 5,000 ISIL fighters left defending Mosul while 1,500 to 2,000 militants were stationed outside the city.[194] Abdulrahman al Wagga, a member of Nineveh provincial council, stated that Iraqi forces had retaken the town of Al-Shura, to the south of Mosul and had evacuated 5,000 to 6,000 civilians from there. He further stated that the area was now being cleared of homemade bombs and booby traps while security forces had almost surrounded Hammam al-Alil.[195] He also stated Iraqi security forces might storm Hammam al-Alil in the next few hours but that it would depend on the situation on the ground, as civilians were still present and ISIL militants were using a “scorched earth” policy by destroying houses, buildings and bridges to slow them down.[196]

Peshmerga and Iraqi forces also captured Fadiliya, which lies just 4 km away from Mosul.[197] UN meanwhile stated that ISIL had taken tens of thousands of civilians to use as human shields in Mosul, including at least 5,000 families from around Al-Shura and 2,210 families from the Nimrud area of Hamdaniya. Those who refused to go were executed[195][198]

29 October
The PMF stated on 29 October they had launched an offensive towards the west of Mosul with an aim to capture villages west of Mosul and reach the town of Tal Afar in order to prevent ISIL fighters from retreating into neighboring Syria or any reinforcement for their defense of Mosul. They have been tasked with recapturing around 14,000 km2 of territory from the group.[199][200][201] They also stated that they would not enter Mosul.[202] Meanwhile, Iraqi Army and PMF captured 15 villages from ISIL.[201]

Mosul Eye confirmed that civilians from outside Mosul had been abducted and forced into the city by ISIL which was confiscating homes from people for their own use. A new escape route from Mosul had been set up by Syrian Kurds, who were charging $3,000 per person to smuggle people out of the city to Turkey. The blog also reported that all bridges into the city were booby-trapped with IEDs.[
30 October
The Peshmerga stated on 30 October that they had captured six more villages to north and east of Mosul, and had seized control of several major roads and landmarks.[204] It also stated that it had captured 500 square kilometers of territory since the operation began.[205] PMF meanwhile stated that they had captured eight more villages to the southwest of Mosul.[206] SOHR stated that at least 480 Syrian fighters including 300 child soldiers (known as “Cubs of the Caliphate”) brought to Iraq by ISIL had been killed since the offensive began.