Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi congratulated the Iraqi people and security forces on winning a “major victory” over jihadists in Mosul, but fighting in the city continued on Wednesday. But security forces have faced tough resistance and a spike in suicide bombings in recent days. Abadi congratulated the country’s people, security forces and the Shiite religious leadership “on the achievement of this major victory in Mosul” in remarks broadcast Tuesday night. But in Mosul’s Old City, automatic weapons fire, shelling and air strikes on Wednesday made clear that the final stage of the battle for the city was not yet over. Now, IS fighters estimated to number in the hundreds are clinging to limited territory in Mosul’s Old City, and security forces are slowly but surely closing in.

Source: Egypt Independent July 05, 2017 11:26 UTC