MOSUL, Iraq, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces took control of four more districts in the city of Mosul on Saturday, as part of their slow and fierce fighting to drive out Islamic State (IS) militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq, the Iraqi army said.
The commandos of the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) freed four districts of al-Qadsiyah al-Uola, al-Murour, al-Shekhakyah and al-Mishraq and raised the Iraqi flag on its buildings, a statement by the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) said.
The elite CTS started their push into the four districts early on Friday, bringing the total number of districts liberated from IS militants in eastern Mosul to 31, the JOC statement said.
The troops are facing grueling fighting inside Mosul from the extremist militants, who are carrying out brutal counter attacks in small groups moving quickly throughout the districts, and using suicide car bombs, as well as mortars and snipers, in addition to using the population of the city as human shields.
Read the full story at Xinhua