'Intense' Fighting In Mosul As Civilians Flee

MOSUL, Iraq, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Nov, 2016 ) - Elite Iraqi forces were engaged in "intense" fighting with militants in eastern Mosul on Saturday, an officer said, as civilians gathered on the city's outskirts to flee.

Iraqi forces launched a massive operation to retake the country's second city from the Islamic State group on October 17, and the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) special forces have pushed the militants back from some Mosul neighbourhoods.

But there are still weeks if not months of fighting ahead in the battle to recapture the last IS-held Iraqi city, and aid workers have warned that displacement may spike as Iraqi troops push deeper into Mosul.

"The fighting is intense this morning. We're trying to fortify our positions in Arbajiyah before continuing our attack into Al-Bakr," said Staff Lieutenant Colonel Muntadhar Salem of CTS, referring to two Mosul areas.