Iraqi forces have retaken around 70% of eastern Mosul from "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) militants, the Joint Operations Command told Diyaruna Thursday (January 5th).
"Iraqi forces on Thursday morning fully recaptured al-Mithaq and al-Shaymaa neighbourhoods, and kicked off large-scale combing and clearing operations of those areas," command spokesman Yahya al-Zubaidi told Diyaruna.
"ISIL has suffered heavy human and material losses in the military operations, and has been forced to withdraw," he said, noting that Iraqi forces were now providing assistance to civilians in the newly liberated areas.
