The battle for Mosul continues. Either this Thursday or last US backed Iraqi troops advanced into an ISIS controlled military base and an airport in a dual pronged attack designed to drive out IS troops. Both attacks were met with heavy retaliation, but the troops successfully entered both areas. Another important victory was won when an ISIS controlled village was captured by an anti terrorist group. This village was pivotal for the IS in the reason that it housed many snipers, rocket launchers, and mortars known to have hindered anti terrorist movements in the past.
ISIS does not have as many troops in Mosul as it used to. To make up for that fact, they have increased the use of modified commercial drones to lead precision suicide attacks and drop small bombs.
Eastern Mosul has been declared ISIS free as of January. The battle for western Mosul is expected to be the most daunting battle yet. The reason being that the streets in western Mosul are quite a bit narrower, which means that troops will most likely need to leave the protection of their armored trucks, and there is a high concentration of civilians in the area.
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=235&sid=43279213&title=us-backed-iraqi-forces-enter-mosul-airport-military-base
Here's an interview with Major General Rupert Jones on the situation in Mosul
http://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2017/02/23/intv-amanpour-rupert-jones-mosul.cnn
I think we should feel good about the fact that Iraqi forces are leading this fight and being careful about civilians. That wouldn't have happened under Saddam Hussein.
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