Iraq forces reach key Mosul bridge – spokesman

Gains part of offensive that began earlier this month to retake western half of Islamic State-captured city

By AFP 27 February 2017, 3:19 pm

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An explosion hits near a vehicle belonging to Iraq's elite Rapid Response Division during the assault to retake the northern city of Mosul, as Iraqi forces continue the offensive to retake the city's western half from IS, on February 25, 2017. (AFP/Aris Messinis)

Iraqi forces battling the Islamic State group in west Mosul reached the city’s southernmost bridge Monday, a key step in efforts to defeat the jihadists in their stronghold, a spokesman said.

“The Rapid Response force and the federal police have liberated Jawsaq neighborhood and now control the western end of the fourth bridge,” Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, spokesman for the Joint Operations Command, told AFP.

“That means the bridge is under control on both sides,” said Rasool.

The “fourth bridge” is the southernmost of five bridges — all of which are damaged and unusable — across the Tigris River that divides the northern Iraqi city.

A view of the city of Mosul shows smoke billowing while Iraqi forces fight jihadists as they advance in the city on February 26, 2017, during an operation to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. (Aris Messinis/AFP)

Government forces retook the east bank from the Islamic State a month ago, completing a key phase in an offensive on Mosul that began on October 17 and has involved tens of thousands of fighters.

Securing the western end of the bridge will give Iraqi forces control of the river bank on both sides and allow engineering units to extend a floating bridge to use as a supply line.

Assembling a so-called “ribbon bridge” to reconnect both banks of the city is a key target of the military push launched on the west bank of Mosul earlier this month.

Islamic State militants captured Mosul in June 2014. Iraqi government forces liberated the eastern quarter of Mosul in January, three months after launching the operation to regain control of the country’s second-largest city.