Iraqi forces push into Mosul’s Old City

World Today

U.S. President Donald Trump is praising the Iraqi soldiers fighting to retake the city of Mosul. According to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Trump also said U.S. military assistance to Iraq will continue. American advisers are working with Iraqi forces in the Mosul campaign, and U.S. warplanes are providing air support.

CGTN’s Tony Cheng reports.

The city of Mosul is blanketed by smoke. Fires burn across the west and gunfire continues to crackle.

Iraqi Special Forces are headed to the front lines. Heavily armored Humvees weave through the wreckage of the city.

Roads ripped apart by IEDs, artillery shells, and air strikes. Although these neighborhoods are under the control of security forces, they remain dangerous.

Commander Lt. General Al-Saadi is checking on the progress of his men. Their objective, the neighborhood of Nablus, claimed by the Iraqis two days ago

The fighting is now door to door. They weave their way through the labyrinth of dark corridors, tense, their enemy only meters away.

The high ground is controlled by the snipers, watching, waiting. Just one street away is an ISIL position, and they are an enemy proving very difficult to dislodge

Truck bombs are one of the greatest dangers, but booby traps and snipers lie in wait too.

U.S. led coalition airstrikes are used to dislodge ISIL fighters which ground troops can’t reach.

Spotters call in attacks as jets way above unleash their payload.