Monthly Archives: December 2016

Today’s Major Developments: Government claims 60% of east Mosul and 23 neighborhoods cleared. UN cites dire situation of Mosul civilians. 200 families have returned home to Nimrud. PUK explains its side of the oil for salaries dispute. Government, opposition shelling kills more civilians in Aleppo. Turks keep bombing the Manbij Military Council. NATIONAL NEWS: The Coalition spokesman, Colonel John Dorrian, told Reuters by telephone that the battle to retake Mosul from Daesh has become “very hard” in recent weeks but the pace will quicken once Iraqi forces manage to push in from the north and south of the city. He says “(Daesh) has been in the city for two years with a lot of time to build very elaborate defenses and to hoard weapons and resources that are now being used to complicate the advance.” Dorrian was referring to Daesh’s use of suicide car bombs and civilian human shields. Continue reading →