36 killed in two attacks in mosul

At least 25 persons were killed on Thursday in the Iraqi city of Mosul after three suicide car bombs were detonated at a market place, a security source said. The bombings, that left dozens wounded, occurred when the cars blew up amid a crowd of civilians at a market place and positions of security sources at Gogjali district of Mosul, Xinhua quoted sources as saying. Security forces blockaded the district and carried out a search operation looking for more car bombs believed to be in the area, a source said. The attacks came as the security forces were carrying out operations to clear the recently-freed districts from the Islamic State terror group in the eastern side of Mosul. After nearly seven weeks of battle against the IS inside Mosul, the elite Counter-Terrorism Service retook control of 40 districts, while the army’s 9th armoured Division and the 1st Division recaptured six more neighbourhoods in the city.

Meanwhile, in another incident in Mosul, mortar fire killed 11 people including four aid workers as civilians gathered to receive assistance, the United Nations said on Thursday. “According to initial reports, four aid workers and at least seven civilians queuing for emergency assistance in eastern Mosul city have been killed by indiscriminate mortar fire,” Lise Grande, UN humanitarian coordinator in Iraq, said in a statement. “Within the last 48 hours, there have been two separate incidents” that also wounded up to 40 people, Grande said. “People waiting for aid are already vulnerable and need help. They should be protected, not attacked,” she said, adding: “The killing of civilians and aid workers violates every humanitarian principle.” Iraqi forces launched an operation on October 17 to retake Mosul, the country’s last city held by the Islamic State jihadist group, and have retaken areas on its eastern side.