Iraqi forces seize Mosul airport, Syrian rebels take control of Syrian city
Iraqi forces have taken control of Mosul airport in northern Iraq, hours after a major offensive against Islamic State jihadists, who control the western part of the city, state television reported.
"The Rapid Reaction Force and the federal police have full control of Mosul airport," state television said.
The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a rally in the northern city of Mosul, killing at least XNUMX people and wounding dozens more.
The jihadists lost the last stronghold in the province of Aleppo
At the same time, three pro-Turkish Syrian rebel groups announced today that they have captured the city of Al Bab, which is the last stronghold of the Islamic State in the province of Aleppo in northern Syria.
"We are announcing the complete liberation of the city of Al Bab and the demining of its neighborhoods," said Ahmad Othman, head of Sultan Murad, one of the three rebel groups that confirmed to AFP that the city was under siege.
"Yesterday (Wednesday) we took control of the city center, where the IK (…) headquarters was located. The jihadists were expelled and this morning around 06:00 we completed our operation," said Saif Abu Bakr, head of the Al Hamza organization.
"We have killed dozens of ISIS fighters and evacuated more than 50 families from Al Bab. "In a few hours, our forces will finish clearing the rest of the city and we will strengthen our defensive lines," said Abu Jaafar, of Liwa al-Mutasem.
The Turkish news agency Anadolu reported that Syrian rebels, "backed by the Turkish armed forces, had taken control of downtown Al Bab," while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the rebels had taken control of the half of the city's neighborhoods, but added that Islamic State fighters are still there.
Al-Bab, the last stronghold of the Islamic State in Aleppo province, has been the target of a joint operation launched by Turkish forces and Syrian rebel organizations since December.
Source: newsbeast.gr