Iraqi forces move to surround Mosul's Old City, held by IS

BAGHDAD US-backed Iraqi forces were moving to surround Mosul's Old City on Thursday, a week after launching a fresh push to drive Islamic State militants from areas they still hold, according to an Iraqi officer overseeing the operation. Iraqi special forces Lt Gen Sami al-Arathi said battle plans had changed and a northern advance was launched last week after Iraqi forces struggled to push into the Old City from the south. As Iraqi army and federal police forces push from the north, the country's special forces are moving toward the Old City through Mosul's western industrial neighbourhoods."The multi-axis advance ... has presented the enemy with more dilemmas than they can react to," US-led coalition spokesman John Dorrian told reporters during a press conference Wednesday. Dorrian said over the past week Iraqi forces retook more than 30 square kilometers (12 square miles) of terrain from IS. Hundreds of civilians could be seen fleeing the fighting Thursday. (AP)