Posted on 11/05/2016 7:54:30 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Inside Mosul: Satellite imagery reveals ISIS defences
By Rudaw 15 hours ago
ISIS has erected barriers in the city, satellite imagery reveals. Image: Stratfor
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region ? Satellite imagery of Mosul has revealed ISIS preparations in the city, including razing an entire area and erecting barriers in the city.
Around Mosul airport, ISIS appears to have cleared all structures and erected a string of barriers to the north, according to satellite imagery published by Stratfor. The geopolitical intelligence company theorized that the area had been cleared “to ensure clear visibility of approaching forces.”
The imagery published by Stratfor shows that ISIS has erected barriers across streets using concrete blocks and rubble, and built up earthen berms as part of its planned defence of the city.
In October, an Iraqi military expert Ihasan Qasson detailed to Rudaw some of ISIS’ fortifications in the city, including digging ditches.
“The group has already placed a great quantity of crude oil in many of the ditches, which they will set on fire to distract visibility for coalition warplanes targeting ISIS bases in the city," Qaisson said.
"There is also a circle-like ditch around parts of the city which the militant group will possibly use in addition to a tunnel to defend their positions," he added.
"A Look at Islamic State Defenses in Mosul is republished with permission of Stratfor."
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10:10pm
Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and top Kurdish officials are discussing battlefield victories, collaboration between the Iraqi Army and the Peshmerga, and the rebuilding of towns and villages liberated in the Mosul offensive, the chief of staff of the Kurdistan's Region's Presidency said.
Dr. Fuad Hussein told reporters, after Abadi arrived in Erbil on an unannounced visit late Saturday and went into a dinner meeting at the airport with Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barazani and Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, that other topics include the return of displaced persons to their towns and villages.
“According to the military plan, the Peshmerga will not take part in the operation to liberate Mosul city,” Hussein told reporters.
He added that the Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitary source, which is fighting alongside the Iraqi Army, also will not enter the predominantly Sunni city.
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BREAKING: 10pm
Iraqi forces have liberated Hamam al-Alil, last town before Mosul, military says
Iraqi forces have liberated Hamam al-Alil, evicting ISIS from the last town on the southern front before Mosul, the Iraqi War Media Office announced late Saturday.
It said that the Iraqi flag was now flying at buildings in Hamam al-Alil.
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9:50pm
Iraqi military announces further gains
Iraqi forces have entered the al-Entisar neighborhood on the left bank of Mosul, where fighting continues to clear ISIS militants from roads and buildings, the Iraqi War Media Office said late Saturday.
Further gains in Mosul by the anti-terrorism forces include al-Karama neighborhood, Al-Malaeen 3, the Green Apartments, al-Zahra, Karkukli, A’dan and al-Zahabi, the media office said in a statement.
It added that military engineers have installed a pontoon bridge on the great Zab river to connect forces in the north and south.
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8:53pm
BREAKING:
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrives in Erbil on unannounced visit; received by Kurdish President Masoud Barzani and Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani. Abadi is accompanied by several senior Iraqi military officials.
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6:40pm
Ex-Nineveh governor: Mosul security should be in hands of Iraqi police and Nineveh Guards after liberation
Atheel al-Nujaifi, the former governor of Nineveh and commander of the Nineveh Guards, said that after the liberation of Mosul the Iraqi police and his own forces will be in charge of security in that city.
“After liberation of Mosul the Iraqi army should not stay long and should withdraw,” he told Rudaw on a visit to the Nawaran frontline. “The Nineveh Guards and Iraqi police should stay in charge of Mosul city and some parts of Nineveh province after liberation,” he said.
“The first brigade of the Nineveh Guards was deployed in Mosul dam, and now the second brigade is to be deployed in Shalalat, as we are now close to that frontline,” he said.
“The Peshmerga have provided a lot of facilitation for us. In fact, without their support we could not be successful,” he said, adding that “collaboration and coordination between us and the Peshmerga should continue.”
5:11pm
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in Bartella, a Christian town 20 kilometers east of Mosul that was recently liberated from ISIS. Abadi said on his Facebook page that he “visited military units in Bartella today to learn about counter-terrorism developments on the ground.”
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2:57pm
ISIS using motorcycles to avoid airstrikes in Hamam al-Alil
Heavy clashes are ongoing between Iraqi forces and ISIS militants inside Hamam al-Alil, Rudaw’s correspondent Nabard Hussein reported.
Iraqi forces have raised the national flag over the town's government building, the Iraqi War Media Office said.
ISIS militants are using motorcycles as a means of transportation to avoid airstrikes.
They are also employing car bombs. Commander of Nineveh Operations Major General Najim al-Jabouri told Rudaw on Saturday that they have destroyed at least four car bombs in the Hamam al-Alil area.
It’s a real tough go for the Iraqi military; fierce fighting.
Rinse. Repeat.
Problem Solved.
Yes, and as Trump has said repeatedly, it’s doomed to fail. You think ISIS isn’t looking at satellite images like these and saying “Even though they know exactly where we are, let’s stay put”?
Looks like a nice little “Kill Box” they have set up there.
Damn right!! Screw all this ‘ISIS defense’ crap! You know our guys are just creamin’ waiting to unleash hell on these muzzie pukes!
The blood and treasure we have already wasted on plinking at these turds, we could have carpet bombed them into oblivion then rebuilt Mosul from scratch.
Obama doesn’t have the balls.
I agree 100%. I should have said ‘from the air’. My bad.
With this good kind of imagery, and I’m sure our drones and photo-recon planes are getting more, detailed shots, it will make it easier for our missiles to take out the barriers, berms, etc.
In fact, a B-52 could take out the straight-line barriers in a single run, also collapsing tunnels, berms, and blowing up ditches.
Perhaps Donald Trump was on to something when he said “Bomb the hell out of them”.
And I’m not calling for indiscriminate bombings. I know enough about weapons and aircraft to be able to match them against specific targets.
The only thing we are missing is Napalm. Nothing can stand in its way especially barriers and trenches, to say nothing about enemy troops aka “crispy critters”. Nap is sure a morale breaker.
A flight of B-52’s will “Buff” those right out.
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