Army says it has seized strategic university complex used as base by ISIL fighters following two days of fierce clashes.
Iraqi special forces have taken full control of a strategic university in eastern Mosul, according to senior commanders, the latest advance in a major push to drive ISIL out of its last urban stronghold in Iraq.
The capture of the Mosul University campus, seized by ISIL fighters when they took over the city in 2014, came after two days of intense clashes.
"Security forces have fully liberated the Mosul University," Talib Shaghati, the commander of the elite terrorism-combat service, told state TV on Saturday.
"The forces seized chemicals in the laboratories of the universities and defused explosives and car bombs," he added, without providing details.
Army says it has seized strategic university complex used as base by ISIL fighters following two days of fierce clashes.
Iraqi forces have captured most districts of east Mosul in nearly three months of a US-backed push [Reuters]
Iraqi special forces have taken full control of a strategic university in eastern Mosul, according to senior commanders, the latest advance in a major push to drive ISIL out of its last urban stronghold in Iraq.
The capture of the Mosul University campus, seized by ISIL fighters when they took over the city in 2014, came after two days of intense clashes.
"Security forces have fully liberated the Mosul University," Talib Shaghati, the commander of the elite terrorism-combat service, told state TV on Saturday.
"The forces seized chemicals in the laboratories of the universities and defused explosives and car bombs," he added, without providing details.
INFOGRAPHIC: Battle for Mosul - Who controls what?
Earlier on Saturday, bulldozers had smashed through a wall surrounding the sprawling campus and dozens of counter-terrorism servicetroops sprinted through carrying rocket-propelled grenade launchers.
Used as a base by ISIL, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group or ISIS, the university complex lies in the north of the city on the east bank of the Tigris River that splits Mosul in two, was used.
Iraqi forces have now captured most districts in eastern Mosul, Iraq's second largest city.
Destroyed bridges
The massive push to retake Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, from ISIL was launched on October 17.
The initial phase of the US-backed offensive saw a variety of forces, including Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, retake significant swathes of land in little time but the going has been tough inside the city itself.
New tactics employed since the turn of the year, including night raids and better defences against suicide car bombs, have given the campaign fresh momentum, according to US and Iraqi military officials.
The destruction of all bridges over the river in air strikes has also made it difficult for ISIL fighters in east Mosul to resupply or escape to the west bank, which they still fully control.
US and Iraqi military officials say ISIL has further damaged at least two of them to try to hamper an army advance.
The western side of Mosul, which is home to the old city and some of the ISIL fighters' traditional bastions, was always tipped as likely to offer the most resistance.
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| Iraqi forces have captured most districts of east Mosul in nearly three months of a US-backed push |
Iraqi special forces have taken full control of a strategic university in eastern Mosul, according to senior commanders, the latest advance in a major push to drive ISIL out of its last urban stronghold in Iraq.
The capture of the Mosul University campus, seized by ISIL fighters when they took over the city in 2014, came after two days of intense clashes.
"Security forces have fully liberated the Mosul University," Talib Shaghati, the commander of the elite terrorism-combat service, told state TV on Saturday.
"The forces seized chemicals in the laboratories of the universities and defused explosives and car bombs," he added, without providing details.
Army says it has seized strategic university complex used as base by ISIL fighters following two days of fierce clashes.
Iraqi forces have captured most districts of east Mosul in nearly three months of a US-backed push [Reuters]
Iraqi special forces have taken full control of a strategic university in eastern Mosul, according to senior commanders, the latest advance in a major push to drive ISIL out of its last urban stronghold in Iraq.
The capture of the Mosul University campus, seized by ISIL fighters when they took over the city in 2014, came after two days of intense clashes.
"Security forces have fully liberated the Mosul University," Talib Shaghati, the commander of the elite terrorism-combat service, told state TV on Saturday.
"The forces seized chemicals in the laboratories of the universities and defused explosives and car bombs," he added, without providing details.
INFOGRAPHIC: Battle for Mosul - Who controls what?
Earlier on Saturday, bulldozers had smashed through a wall surrounding the sprawling campus and dozens of counter-terrorism servicetroops sprinted through carrying rocket-propelled grenade launchers.
Used as a base by ISIL, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group or ISIS, the university complex lies in the north of the city on the east bank of the Tigris River that splits Mosul in two, was used.
Iraqi forces have now captured most districts in eastern Mosul, Iraq's second largest city.
Destroyed bridges
The massive push to retake Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, from ISIL was launched on October 17.
The initial phase of the US-backed offensive saw a variety of forces, including Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, retake significant swathes of land in little time but the going has been tough inside the city itself.
New tactics employed since the turn of the year, including night raids and better defences against suicide car bombs, have given the campaign fresh momentum, according to US and Iraqi military officials.
The destruction of all bridges over the river in air strikes has also made it difficult for ISIL fighters in east Mosul to resupply or escape to the west bank, which they still fully control.
US and Iraqi military officials say ISIL has further damaged at least two of them to try to hamper an army advance.
The western side of Mosul, which is home to the old city and some of the ISIL fighters' traditional bastions, was always tipped as likely to offer the most resistance.
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