Iraq Conflict: Fighting Resumes At Mosul Dam

Fighting has resumed at Mosul Dam in northern Iraq with jets seen overhead, according to Sky sources.

On the ground, Iraqi and Kurdish peshmerga forces have been battling Islamic militants for control of the strategic site which supplies water and power to millions of people down the Tigris river valley.

US fighter jets and drones have been attacking Islamic State (IS) targets from the air as they try to help push back the Sunni extremists who have taken over large parts of the north and west of the country.

IS seized the hydro-electric dam several weeks ago but President Barack Obama announced on Monday that Iraqi and Kurdish forces had regained control of the facility with the help of American airstrikes.

But it appears that are still remnants of IS in the area who are putting up resistance.

Mosul Dam. Pic: File

Sky's Alex Crawford, at Mosul Dam, said: "We heard firing behind us about 1km away. The president's son sad he suspected some hardened IS fighters were in the south of the dam who had not been cleared from the area."

She added: "They are still clearly holding out and putting up some sort of defence."

Crawford said she heard heavy machine gun fire and possibly mortar shelling as well as jets overhead.

There is also fierce fighting near the centre of Tikrit, the hometown of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

The dam and the city of Mosul are in the north of the country

Tikrit was seized by IS earlier in the year but Iraqi forces as well as Shia militias are trying to drive the insurgents out.

The violence was taking place near the main hospital, more than two miles from the town centre.

"Helicopters are pounding the bases of the terrorists to prevent them from regrouping," said an army major.

Iraqi forces were pushing from the south and also advancing slowly from the west due to landmines and roadside bombs planted by the militants, he added.

Meanwhile, the insurgents, who also seized control of the second city of Mosul in June, have threatened to respond to US airstrikes by attacking American targets, posting a video in which they warn: "We will drown all of you in blood".

The message was accompanied by photographs of beheadings.

Unlike al Qaeda, IS has, to date, focused on seizing land in Iraq and Syria for its self-proclaimed caliphate, rather than attacking Western targets.

Earlier, the group denied losing control of Mosul Dam.

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