The Latest on the Iraqi forces’ battle to take the western half of Mosul from the Islamic State militants (all times local):
12:05 p.m.
Iraqi officials say their forces have entered the first neighborhood of the western half of Mosul and have gained full control of the city’s airport after fierce clashes with Islamic State militants.
Two special forces officials and a federal police official told The Associated Press about the developments in the Mosul advances on Friday. The gains come as Iraqi forces continue to push into the western part of this city, which is still in the hands of the Islamic State group.
All three officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to reporters.
Iraqi forces launched the operation to retake western Mosul on Sunday, weeks after the city’s east was declared "fully liberated" from the militants in January.
___
10:15 a.m.
Two Iraqi officials say that after a day of fierce fighting, Iraqi forces have secured half Betkanyon of Mosul’s airport and most of a sprawling military base next to it on the city’s southwestern edge.
A federal police officer and an official overseeing the operation said on Friday that troops also secured key infrastructure as they advance to rout the Islamic State group from western Mosul.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
Iraq’s federal police, special forces and the army are taking part in the battle, which started Sunday.
Iraqi authorities declared Mosul’s eastern half "fully liberated" in January and afterward largely paused operations to prepare for the fight for the city’s west.
The United Nations estimated that about 750,000 civilians are trapped in western Mosul.
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
