Timeline of Iraq's battle to liberate Mosul

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Sunday arrived in Mosul and congratulated the Iraqi army on the victory against Islamic State (IS) in the nine-month battles to liberate Mosul.

Here is the timeline of the major events in the battle to recapture Mosul from IS since October, 2016.

The major offensive to recapture Mosul, the capital of Nineveh Province and second largest city in Iraq, from the IS started on Oct. 17, 2016, as announced by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces.

"Today I declare the launch of the operation of liberating Nineveh province. The time of victory has come, and the moment of the great victory is approaching," Abadi said in his brief address aired on Al Iraqiya.

On Oct. 31, Iraqi security forces entered Gogjali district, marking the first time it had reached the edge of Mosul after two weeks of the massive offensive to dislodge IS militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq.

On Nov. 1, Iraqi security forces seized Gogjali district and took control of the state television building, the first important building it captured in the IS-held city.

On Nov. 5, the Iraqi army and federal police entered Hammam al-Alil, capturing the last and largest town south of Mosul, as battles against IS militants in the eastern part of the city continued.

On Nov. 16, Iraqi paramilitary units, known as Hashd Shaabi, announced the liberation of strategic Tal Afar air base west of Mosul, saying the recapture of the air base would cut off the supply routes between Mosul and the IS-held town of Tal Afar.

On Nov. 23, Iraqi security forces completely encircled Mosul, cutting off the IS supply routes from the west side of the city and preventing IS militants from escaping outside Mosul.

In December, the advances on Mosul were slowed amid grueling fighting inside Mosul with IS militants, who used civilians as human shields and resorted to suicide bombings, in addition to mortar and sniper attacks.

On Dec. 29, Iraq security forces launched the second phase of the major offensive to free IS-held Mosul, especially the eastern part of the city.

On Jan. 6, 2017, Iraqi government forces freed al-Mazari neighborhood and the residential compound of Hadbaa neighborhood in northern Mosul, marking the first significant progress in the renewed push.

On Jan. 8, Iraqi security forces reached the eastern bank of Tigris River for the first time, after recapturing several new areas from IS militants in the city of Mosul.

On Jan. 13, Iraqi government forces seized back the complex of Mosul University, including its technical institute and dormitories, allowing students to return for education at the one of the largest educational and research centers in the Middle East.

On Jan. 24, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared full liberation of the eastern part of Mosul after more than 100 days of fighting against IS militants.

On Feb. 19, Iraqi security forces announced the commencement of a new push to drive IS militants out of the western part of Mosul, or the right bank of Tigris.

On Feb. 23, Iraqi security forces retook control of Mosul International Airport after four hours of heavy clashes with IS militants.

On Feb. 26, Iraqi forces seized back al-Mamoun neighborhood, the first neighborhood completely freed from IS militants since the battle to liberate western Mosul began.

On Feb. 27, Iraqi forces captured strategic 4th Bridge across the Tigris River, which is crucial for Iraqi forces to bring in reinforcements and supplies directly from eastern Mosul.

On March 5, Iraqi security forces launched a new push toward Mosul's Old City on the western bank of Tigris River.

On May 16, Iraqi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool said at a news conference that Iraqi forces had recaptured 89.5 percent of west Mosul from IS militants since the launch of a major offensive to free the city, and the terror group only had 12 square km of land left.

On May 29, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Iraqi forces entered the last stages of defeating IS militants in western Mosul, as about 95 percent of the city had been freed.

On June 15, Iraqi government forces recaptured Bab Sinjar neighborhood, marking the first penetration for security forces into the northern edge of Mosul's Old City.

On June 18, Iraqi government forces started decisive battles against the last IS stronghold of the Old City in western Mosul.

On June 21, Iraqi military said IS militants blew up Mosul's historic al-Nuri Mosque and its leaning minaret, where IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the cross-border caliphate in Iraq and Syria in his sole public appearance in July 2014. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi called the bombing "an official declaration of defeat by the Islamic State."

On June 25, Iraqi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool said in a statement that IS only had about one percent of the city of Mosul in hand.

On June 29, Iraqi government forces retook control of the Grand al-Nuri mosque and the adjacent Sarijkhanah neighborhood, a victory described by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi as marking the end of the self-styled IS caliphate in Iraq.

On July 4, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider congratulated Iraqis on "big victories" for the battle against the IS in Mosul, while Maj. Gen. Najim al-Jubouri, commander of Nineveh's Operations Command, said earlier in a press release that the full liberation of Mosul from IS would be declared within two days.

Mosul, 400 kilometers north of Iraq's capital Baghdad, came under IS control in June 2014, when government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.

source; xinhua