Joint Iraqi forces on Friday (November 18th) continued to advance cautiously towards the centre of Mosul, as families were being evacuated to camps, Ninawa Operations Command said.
"Battles on the eastern front are ongoing in several areas and neighbourhoods inside Mosul," Ninawa Operations commander Nejim Edin Karim al-Jubury told Diyaruna.
"The army is using heavy weaponry very cautiously to avoid any harm to civilians," he said.
Iraqi forces have fully liberated al-Athba village to the east of Mosul, he said, "and have now reached the outskirts of al-Wehda neighbourhood, south of Mosul, where they are removing landmines and explosives to make more progress in the coming hours".
"ISIL losses are very high, and the numbers of their elements are shrinking as the international coalition continues to pound their positions," al-Jubury said.
More than 100 families have been evacuated Friday from confrontation areas in the east, he said, adding that they have been taken to camps near Mosul.
