Iraqi military commanders say their forces have seized full control of Mosul's university from the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, the latest key advance in efforts to recapture the eastern side of the city.
"This great scientific and cultural building was liberated by the heroes," the head of Iraq's Counterterrorism Service (CTS), Lieutenant General Talib Shaghati, said on January 14.
The university campus lies in the north of Mosul on the east bank of the Tigris River that splits the city in two.
IS militants have used the university grounds as a base, and Iraqi officials say that they also used the laboratories to make chemical weapons.
Military forces have been attempting to retake Mosul, the last major IS stronghold in Iraq, since October.
CTS Major General Maan Saadi said Iraqi forces may recapture the city's eastern half “in the next 10 days or so."
Iraqi Forces Retake Mosul University From Islamic State, Officials Say
Updated
![Iraqi Special Forces clash with Islamic State militants near Mosul University on January 13.](https://gdb.rferl.org/2fcfd449-e2f6-4d44-8800-0c7f7632ca05_w250_r1_s.jpg)
Editors' Picks
Top Trending
1
U.S., Canadian Warplanes Intercept Russian, Chinese Military Aircraft Near Alaska
2Crowdsourcing Russia's Future: Poll Of Experts Considers What Comes After Putin
3Russia Attacks Ukrainian Danube Port For Second Day As NATO Scrambles Warplanes Over Romania
4Turkey Detains Russian Man Suspected Of Car Bombing In Moscow
5Live Briefing: Russia Invades Ukraine
6Ukrainian Forces Fight Intense Battles In Donetsk Region, Zelenskiy Says
7Pentagon Finds Another $2 Billion Of Accounting Errors For Ukraine Aid
8'Don't Even Whisper In Your Language': Russian Course For Central Asians Lays Down Strict Rules
9Bulgarian President Admits Blocking Pro-Western Envoy To Kyiv
10Under Relentless Russian Attacks, Ukrainian Power Plant Workers Race To Get The Lights Back On
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.