Iraqi commander says troops pushing deeper into western Mosul

Maj Gen Al-Hussaini said that IS militants were fighting back with snipers, anti-tank missiles and suicide car bombs, describing the clashes as "fierce".

Iraqi military units have pushed deeper into western Mosul, gaining control of a neighbourhood along the Tigris River and the foot of one of the city's five bridges amid intense clashes with Islamic State militants.

Senior Iraqi police commander Maj GenThamir al-Hussaini, who commands the federal rapid response force, said the troops pushed deeper into the western Gawsaq neighbourhood earlier in the day and reached the bridge known locally as the 4th Bridge.