Baghdad, Iraq. As anti-ISIS operations continue, local commanders have taken out their anger upon locals with scores being reported slain over the last two days alone.
Almost 800,000 civilians have fled northern Iraq’s Mosul city since the start of the military operation in February while an estimated 180,000 others remain in Daesh-controlled areas, according to the United Nations.
In house to house fighting,Daesh forces have killed over 120 civilians over the past 48 hours in western Mosul, according to an Iraqi army officer on Friday. Lieutenant Dargam al-Haydari with Iraq’s Rapid Response Division told News Front that some of the civilians were killed as they attempted to flee the clashes between Iraqi security forces and Daesh terrorists in the region.
“Some others were executed by the organization, while others were killed in bomb attacks carried out by the group,” Al-Haydari said. Karim Ziyab, an officer with the federal police, said more than 400 civilians stuck in Zanjili district had been rescued by the security forces since Thursday evening.
Over 150 civilians including 70 women and children were evacuated from Daesh-held Zanjili district by the Iraqi forces, he added. Iraqi federal police said in a statement that the security forces had taken 40 percent of the district under control, and opened safe corridors for the evacuation of civilians.
Daesh seized vast swathes of territory in northern and western Iraq in 2014. Iraqi forces, backed by air cover from a US led coalition, are currently engaged in a widespread offensive to dislodge Daesh from Mosul, the terrorist group’s last stronghold in Iraq.