MOSUL, Iraq — Iraqi joint forces launched an operation to liberate the last Islamic State (IS) pockets of resistance in the Old City of Mosul on May 27. After roughly two months of scant movement on the southern front lines of west Mosul, a push from the northwestern axis in early May had steadily gained ground against the remaining IS-held areas, paving the way for the latest moves.

Loudspeakers and flyers dropped over the city have at various points called on civilians to use corridors created by the Iraqi forces, which Iraqi security analyst Hisham al-Hashimi told Al-Monitor marks a turnaround from the coalition strategy when operations began in October to retake the largest city held by IS in Iraq.

“The coalition initially encouraged civilians to remain in their homes, but IS forced them to change their strategy to corridors” and “scorched earth tactics” after the civilians have come out, he said.

The army’s Ninth Armored Division and the Emergency Response Division (ERD), which answers to the Interior Ministry, continued clearing areas inward from the outlying homes into residential areas on this northern axis throughout much of May.