IRAQIS CELEBRATE VICTORY OVER IS, BUT PARTS OF OLD CITY STILL HELD|伊拉克宣布收復摩蘇爾 IS最大挫敗

On July 9, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi met senior officials at the Nineveh governorate in Mosul. He came to celebrate the recapture of the city from Islamic State forces, after a nine-month offensive to drive the jihadist group from the city. Iraqi army forces cleared the eastern half of Mosul in January. They then encircled fighters in a small pocket of the densely-populated Old City. Iraqi government forces have now spent recent days closing in on the last area of western Mosul held by IS, after a nine-month battle to drive the jihadist group from the city. Since October, hundreds of thousands of civilians have fled what was once Iraq's second largest city. The UN estimates that up to 20,000 civilians may still be trapped in the Old City, being used as human shields by IS. The Prime Minister discussed how to maintain safety and security in Mosul city after vanquishing ISIS. However, heavy fighting still continues in parts of the Old City. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR