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Iraqi forces capture two west Mosul neighborhoods, key bridge

By Andrew V. Pestano
Iraqi army soldiers test equipment south of Mosul on Wednesday. Iraqi forces on Monday captured two neighborhoods in west Mosul, as well as a key bridge in the battle against the Islamic State. Photo by Basel Rasol/EPA
Iraqi army soldiers test equipment south of Mosul on Wednesday. Iraqi forces on Monday captured two neighborhoods in west Mosul, as well as a key bridge in the battle against the Islamic State. Photo by Basel Rasol/EPA

Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Iraqi security forces have captured west Mosul's al-Tayyaran and Maamoun neighborhoods, as well as a key bridge in the battle against the Islamic State, Iraqi officials said.

Iraqi forces on Monday are fighting in the al-Mansour, al-Shuhadaa and Dawas neighborhoods for control, Rudaw reported. The Islamic State has carried out at least 10 car bombings to slow down the Iraqi forces.

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The U.S.-led international coalition against the Islamic State carried out dozens of airstrikes on Monday, Iraqi officials said.

Iraq's Federal Police Rapid Response Force advanced into the Jawsaq district and seized Mosul's Fourth Bridge, which is one of five bridges towering over the Tigris River separating east and west Mosul. The bridges are badly damaged but Iraqi forces hope to repair the bridges to more effectively combat the militant Islamist group.

The United Nations estimates from 650,000 to 750,000 civilians are in Mosul amid a humanitarian crisis in which shortages of food, water and fuel are widespread. Thousands of people have fled west Mosul, officials said.

The battle for Mosul began on Oct. 17 when Iraq launched the offensive led by Iraqi security forces and aided by the Kurdish Peshmerga, a Shiite-led militia and the international coalition.

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