Yahya claimed that his wife and son were previously executed by Islamic State militia. The two are among the last remaining sectors between government-held territory in eastern Mosul and the Tigris River, which divides the city. Iraqi state television showed live images of morning clashes near the five-star Ninevah International Hotel, one of the city’s iconic buildings. Al-Aridi said Iraqi forces expect to reach the last remaining bridges that span the Tigris within days. Four months into the Mosul operation, Iraqi forces say they control nearly all of the city’s eastern half, but another wave of intense IS resistance likely awaits them in Mosul’s west.

Source: Washington Post January 16, 2017 11:05 UTC