As the battle for Mosul stretches into its second week the toll at least on the Islamic State’s side continues to grow. The group’s news agency Amaq on Tuesday issued a statement claiming it has sent 58 separate suicide bombers towards the forces attacking the city’s outskirts.
At the same time, in a bid to shore up morale, the group insists it has killed 819 Iraqi and Kurdish fighters and destroyed dozens of vehicles of the ‘enemy.’ The group also claims that 41 residents were killed in coalition airstrikes, and at least 67 others were wounded. The claims contrast with reports in Arab media that rate the casualties on the other side as much lower, 90 Iraqi fighters killed, among them five high-ranking officers. – READ MORE
