Status of main battle fronts in Iraq and Syria

Here is a look at the latest developments on the ground on the main fronts of the conflicts in Iraq and Syria, as of 1800 GMT on Thursday:

IRAQ

- Battle for Mosul -

Iraqi forces battled the Islamic State group deep inside Mosul, piling pressure on jihadists who have no more escape routes but leaving trapped civilians in the crossfire.

Since the October 17 start of a broad offensive to retake Mosul, Iraqi forces have already recaptured several eastern neighbourhoods despite fierce jihadist resistance.

Maan al-Saadi, a commander with the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS), told AFP on the front line in Mosul Thursday that his forces were battling IS in the neighbourhood of Al-Khadraa in Iraq's second city.

A senior CTS commander said Wednesday that 40 percent of eastern Mosul had now been retaken.

Iraqi forces are also closing in on Mosul airport south of the city.

The US-led coalition also bombed bridges over the Tigris river that splits Mosul in two, reducing the jihadists' ability to resupply their eastern front.

SYRIA

- Raqa -

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance, is advancing in the desert as it tries to push closer to IS's de facto Syrian capital of Raqa.

The SDF has been battling the jihadists to drive them from positions some 25 kilometres (15 miles) north of the city.

- Battle for Aleppo -
Syrian pro-government forces are pushing deeper into rebel-held east Aleppo, forcing civilians to flee as the regime presses an assault to recapture the entire city.

A week into the latest round of fighting, the regime now controls around half of the key eastern district of Masaken Hanano, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor.

At least 143 civilians, including 19 children, have been killed in east Aleppo since the latest assault began on November 15, the monitor said.

Another 16 civilians, including 10 children, have been killed in rebel fire on western Aleppo, it added.

- Other fronts -

Syrian rebels backed by Turkish forces are inching closer to the IS stronghold of Al-Bab in Aleppo province, as they press Ankara's Operation "Euphrates Shield" to expel IS from the border area.

The Turkish army blamed the Syrian government for an air strike Thursday in the Al-Bab region that killed three of its soldiers.

Source: AFP