Operation Featherweight: Month 35, Week 5, Day 2.

In the summer of 2014 the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) overran northern Iraq. This included the city of Mosul which has functioned as ISIL's de facto capital in the country every since.

On October 17th 2016 (17/10/16) an operation was launched to liberate Mosul from ISIL. This was intended as a combined operation.

The Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga and the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) were given the responsibility for securing the area surrounding Mosul. The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) had responsibility for liberating the city itself. All aspects of the operation are supported by the US-led coalition, Combined Joint Task Force: Operation Inherent Resolve.

The first phase of the operation was to surround Mosul on three sides. The northern Tel Skuf Front, the eastern Kalak Front and the southern Qarrayah/Gwer Front. This was completed with the liberation of Hamman al-Alil on the Qarrayah front on November 7th 2016 (7/11/16).

The second phase was to liberate the area of Mosul that sits to the east of the Tigris River. This eastern half is sometimes referred to as; "The Left Bank." This phase was begun before the first phase had been completed with the ISF entering the al-Quds neighbourhood from the Gogjali neighbourhood on the Kalak Front on November 1st 2016 (1/11/16).

This second phase was completed with the liberation of all of the eastern half of Mosul on January 24th 2017 (24/1/17).

The third phase of the operation was to liberate the area of Mosul that sits to the west of the Tigris River. This western half is sometimes referred to as; "The Right Bank." Following a short and planned paused this third phase began on February 19th (19/2/17) with the ISF advancing north from Hamman al-Alil.

On February 23rd (23/2/17) the ISF entered western Mosul itself. They did this on two axis;

The Federal Police axis entered western Mosul from the Mosul International Airport/Ghazlani Military base at the southern most tip of the city. They then advanced north towards the Old City district of the city clearing neighbourhoods as they went.

The Counter-Terrorism Force (CTF/Golden Division) axis entered the city from the al-Rayyan neighbourhood at the south-western tip of the city. They then advanced north-east towards the Old City district of Mosul clearing neighbourhoods as they went.

On the southern axis by March 21st (21/3/17) the Federal Police had succeeded in liberating the al-Tob neighbourhood which sits directly to the south of the Old City district. They had also liberated the Corniche area that sits between the Old City district and the Tigris River between the al-Jamhuriya Bridge to the south and the Old Bridge to the north.

From there the Federal Police set about liberating the Old City district. They did this in two axis advancing north from the al-Tob neighbourhood along al-Shaziani Street while at the same time advancing west from the Corniche along Nineveh Street. In both directions the Federal Police cleared the buildings adjoining the streets as they advanced.

The Federal Police's primary objective within the Old City is the al-Nuri Mosque which sits just north of the al-Shaziani/Nineveh Street junction. As one of the places where ISIL's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the group to be an Islamic State this seems to be where ISIL have concentrated the majority of their fighters in Mosul.

As of May 4th (4/5/17) the Federal Police had succeeded in reaching the al-Nuri Mosque. They've surrounded it on three sides.

On the south-western axis as of April 20th (20/4/17) the Golden Division had established a line of control between the al-Nasr neighbourhood on the western outskirts of Mosul to the boundary of the Zanjili district which sits directly north of the Old City district.

On May 4th (4/5/17) the 9th Armoured Division and combined Rapid Reaction Force element of the ISF opened a third northern axis.

Entering from the Musaharrifah district on the northern outskirts its first objective was to sweep south placing a cordon around the 17 Tammuz, Hay al-Uraybi, Hay ar-Rabi, Hay ar-Rafi and Zanjili districts. These are the five districts remaining under ISIL's control north of the Old City district.

On May 9th (9/5/17) the Golden Division and northern axis combined on the boundary of the Hay al-Rabi district. This meant that the western side of the cordon had been established. Progress in establishing the eastern side of the cordon has been much slower with the western side of the Third Bridge not being liberated until May 22nd (22/5/17).

However this did not stop the ISF moving to liberate the areas inside where the cordon had already been established.

On May 13th (13/5/17) the Hay ar-Rabi district along the Third Bridge road had been liberated. On May 19th (19/5/17) the Hay al-Uraybi district directly adjacent to the Hay ar-Rabi district had been liberated.

On May 20th (20/5/17) the Hay ar-Rafi district between the Hay al-Uraybi district and the Tigris River was liberated. This left ISIL in control of just the Zanjili district, the Old City district and parts of the 17 Tammuz district. It also marked the completion of the Golden Division's offensive mission within Mosul.

On May 21st (21/5/17) the entire 17 Tammuz district was completely liberated.

Having liberated the western side of the Third Bridge on May 22nd (22/5/17) the northern axis then launched an operation to liberate the al-Jamhuri hospital complex directly to the south of the Third Bridge. This operation was successfully completed on May 23rd (23/5/17).

Following a short pause on May 27th (27/5/17) the northern axis then pushed deep into Zanjili district from the hospital complex and from the Qahib al-Ban neighbourhood which was liberated by the Rapid Reaction Force on March 30th (30/3/17).

The Zanjili district is actually made up of several neighbourhoods.

There is the Zanjili neighbourhood itself. Then there is the Saha neighbourhood which is dominated by the hospital complex. The Shifa neighbourhood which sits of the Saha neighbourhood. Finally there is the Bab Sinjar neighbourhood which sits south of the Shifa neighbourhood directly on the boundary with the Old City district.

On June 7th (7/6/17) the Zanjili neighbourhood was liberated. This left ISIL in control of just the Shifa neighbourhood and the Bab Sinjar neighbourhood along with the Old City district.

On June 11th (11/6/17) an operation to liberate Shifa and Bab Sinjar neighbourhoods was launched. On June 15th (15/6/17) the ISF succeeded in liberating Bab Sinjar neighbourhood. On June 17th (17/6/17) the ISF succeeded in liberating Shifa neighbourhood.

This leaves ISIL in control of only the Old City district of Mosul.

Due to the advances of the Federal Police axis it actually means ISIL are really only in control of the areas of the Old City district between Nineveh Street to the south and the Fifth Bridge road to the north. Although the actual line of control is more jagged then that and constantly shifting.

Having completed their offensive mission in Mosul on May 20th (20/5/17) the Golden Division have been having a little bit of a break. However yesterday (18/6/17) they've found a new mission. The Golden Division have entered the Old City district from the north-west from the junction of the Fifth Bridge road and Ibrahim al-Athir Street.

I know that for more then a month now I've been saying that we are on the brink of the total liberation of Mosul. However now we really are. ISIL are limited to just a handful of streets and buildings within the Old City.

As I've been saying from the start one of the main problems with the Mosul operation has been to only surround the city on three sides. The entire area to the west of Mosul designated; "The Falls Road" was left open in order to allow ISIL fighters to flee to Syria and from Syria up the Garvaghy Road to Turkey and the rest of the World.

Fortunately the PMF stepped in. On October 29th 2016 (29/10/16) they opened a western front advancing from the southern Qarrayh Front to the town of Tal Afar which sits about 80km (48 miles) west of Mosul on the H47 Highway between Mosul and Iraq's border with Syria.

The PMF completed this western front sealing the Falls Road with the liberation of Tal Afar airport on November 16th 2016 (16/11/16). This is known as; "The Qarrayah-Tal Afar Line." Frustratingly Iraq's neighbour Turkey has forbidden the PMF from liberating Tal Afar itself.

On February 26th 2017 (26/2/17) the PMF along with the ISF's 9th Armoured Division moved to tighten the western cordon on Mosul. They did this by advancing from the town of Tal Zalat around 20km (12 miles) west of Mosul to the town of Badush around 12km (7 miles) north-west of Mosul.

The establishment of what is known as; "The Tal Zalat-Badush Line" was completed on March 26th (26/3/17) with the liberation of Badush. It is this which allowed the ISF's 9th Armoured Division to open the northern axis within Mosul.

Since then the PMF have focused their efforts on liberating everything between the Qarrayah-Tal Afar line and Iraq's border with Syria.

On April 25th (25/4/17) the PMF launched an operation to liberate the entire Hadar/Hatra district. This covers roughly 16,800kmsq (10,000milesq) south-west of Mosul to the rough line between Baiji in Iraq and Al Mayadin in Syria. At its heart it has a vast archaeological site dating back to the 2nd Century BC.

On April 26th (26/4/17) the PMF succeeded in liberating the Hadar/Hatra district which it must be said is largely uninhabited desert. Although it is not glamorous work it is work that needs to be done.

After liberating the Hadar/Hatra district the PMF set about liberating the al-Qairawan district. This is really the middle third of the area between Mosul and the Iraq/Syria border. At really its northern most tip of its centre you have the now infamous town of Sinjar/Shingal.

The PMF set about liberating the al-Qairawan district on May 12th (12/5/17). On May 14th (14/5/17) they had succeeded in separating Sinjar/Shingal from the al-Qairawan district. On May 23rd (23/5/17) the PMF fully liberated al-Qairawan district.

Following the liberation of al-Qairawan district set about liberating the al-Ba'aj district. This sits between the al-Qairawan district and the Iraq/Syria border. The PMF began this operation on May 25th (25/5/17).

On May 29th (29/5/17) the PMF reached the Iraq/Syria border along the H47 Highway. On June 4th (4/6/17) the PMF liberated the town of al-Ba'aj - the main town in the al-Ba'aj district.

On June 7th (7/6/17) the PMF liberated the village of Tal Safuq which sits directly on the Iraq/Syria border.

With the exception of Tal Afar the liberation of Tal Safuq marks the completion of the PMF's operations in the Falls Road. An operation that has seen them liberate some 28,000kmsq (16,800milesq) of territory.

At around 17:55 on 19/6/17 (UK date) I will have to pick this up after dinner or possibly tomorrow.