Two IS prisons discovered in Mosul

Mosul, March 1 (IANS/AKI) The Iraqi Army found two jails run by the Islamic State in the jihadist group's beleaguered capital, Mosul, one of which contained 20 female prisoners, according to a local report on Wednesday.

The jails, with a total of 40 prisoners inside them, were found when soldiers recaptured Mosul's western al-Tayyaran district, local broadcaster Rudaw said on its website.

The female prisoners were being kept in one of the jails and 20 male prisoners were being held in the other, Rudaw said.

The Iraqi army said on Wednesday it had entered the Wadi al-Hajar district of western Mosul and had captured the last major road out, preventing IS militants from fleeing, Rudaw reported.

Iraqi forces liberated Mosul's al-Tayyaran neighbourhood on Monday, state television reported.

Government forces already control the east of Mosul and they began an assault aimed at capturing the west last month.

They have since driven militants from the international airport, a military base, a power station and several residential areas, according to the military.

Iraqi forces began and offensive to oust IS from Mosul in October last year.

IS captured Mosul in June 2014 and declared it the capital of its Islamic 'caliphate' stretching

across swathes of territory it seized in Iraq and Syria during a lightening offensive.

--IANS/AKI

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