Daesh Rigs Mosul With Bombs Ahead of US-Backed Iraqi Offensive

Daesh militants are mining bridges over the Tigris river in Iraq's Mosul and plan to blow up the bombs when the US-backed Iraqi troops arrive to liberate the city, Anadolu reported Thursday, citing spokesman of Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Mosul Saeed Memozin.

ANKARA (Sputnik) — Daesh militants have set up booby-traps on all bridges over Tigris that connect the eastern and the  western parts of Mosul, Memozin said, as cited by Anadolu agency.

He added that terrorists are readying for the fight to keep control over the city and are digging out two-meter-deep trenches in the suburbs.

Mosul has been under control of Daesh, which is outlawed in Russia and numerous other countries, since 2014, and remains their main stronghold. The US-led coalition of more than 60 nations has been conducting airstrikes against Daesh in Iraq since then.

Iraqi army and its allies, including militias continue to prepare for the offensive to free Mosul that could kick off in late October. On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara would take part in this operation.