by John Galt
October 16, 2016 19:20 ET
Breaking on all major news sources. As per Reuters:
Iraq announces start of offensive to retake Mosul
(excerpted)
Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of an offensive to retake Mosul, the capital of Islamic State’s so-called caliphate in Iraq.
“The hour has come and the moment of great victory is near,” he said in a speech on state TV, surrounded by the armed forces’ top commanders. “I announce today the start of the operation to liberate the province of Nineveh.”
The assault on Mosul is backed the U.S.-led coalition and could be one be the biggest military operations in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.
“We are proud to stand with you in this historic operation,” Brett McGurk, U.S. envoy to the coalition against Islamic State, said on Twitter at the start of the Mosul offensive.
Mosul is the last major stronghold of ultra-hardline Sunni group in Iraq.
This could trigger some fascinating events regarding the balance of power in the Middle East and reactions of ISIS throughout Syria and Iraq. Stay tuned…
UPDATE 20:30 ET – Video via Twitter reporters on scene:
#mosul#MosulOps: Badr Organization military wing part of Popular Mobilization Forces begins pounding #Mosul. #Iraq pic.twitter.com/o9bIBMwb46
— Feradicle (@feradicle) October 17, 2016
#Mosul OP has definitely started, footage just released. #Iraq #MosulOps pic.twitter.com/rysPGJtlkx
— Mikhail D. (@Eire_QC) October 16, 2016
Not all people in #Mosul are #ISIS members , be careful where you targeting , alot of wounded between civilians pic.twitter.com/GpjHZ4yDeS
— Sound and Picture (@soundandpic) October 17, 2016
#Mosul: Another footage from the same spot as my last tweet. #MosulOps #Iraq pic.twitter.com/EJ8dydFIpW
— Mikhail D. (@Eire_QC) October 16, 2016
."@Defense_Iraq Mosul now#MosulOps #Iraq #Mosul#Iraqi_army_forpeace pic.twitter.com/MLe4f1fahS"
— Tahrir Live News (@TahrirLive) October 17, 2016
#Mosul NOW:
(looks like the first gulf war)pic.twitter.com/NM5m3ge9tI— Tujo (@oldtujname) October 17, 2016
#International_coalition_aircraft#Iraq army and the #Peshmerga against Daesh #ISIS #ISIL to free #mosul pic.twitter.com/A741X7xCog
— karam.qusai (@KaramQusai) October 16, 2016
Peshmerga also begin attack from the North:
#FLASH #now#Peshmerga Tiger attack in Mosul #ISIS all arms #Musel #Kurdistan #الموصل #USA pic.twitter.com/M1dp8riy9R
— Dlo jawish (@dlo_jawish) October 17, 2016
