MOSUL, Iraq—Iraqi army said on Wednesday that ISIS militants launched an overnight attack against security forces in the southeastern part of Mosul, a day after the troops advanced deeper into the city.
The attack “inflicted heavy losses,” Iraqi Army Sgt. Maj. Hakim Saranbii told The Associated Press without giving specific casualty figures or further details. Iraqi Defense Ministry officials in Bagdad did not immediately comment.
The setback came after Iraq’s army on Tuesday rolled into the southeastern neighborhood of al-Salam, taking a hospital before meeting stiff resistance from ISIS militants. Convoys of dozens of armored Iraqi special forces and army Humvees could be seen moving into the southeastern neighborhood Wednesday morning.
“What we see here is the enemy reacting to a new axis of advance,” said coalition spokesman U.S. Army, Col. John Dorrian, explaining that the new push putting increased pressure on ISIS.
