MOSUL, Iraq - Iraqi forces battled jihadists inside Mosul for the third day running Sunday while civilians risked their lives dodging bombs and snipers to slip out of the city.
The Islamic State group put up fierce resistance to defend the city it seized more than two years ago and also claimed responsibility for deadly suicide attacks further south.
The elite Counter-Terrorism Service has been spearheading the attack on the eastern front of the three-week-old offensive on Mosul, Iraq's largest military operation in years.
"Our forces are continuing to clear neighbourhoods including Al-Samah, Karkukli, Al-Malayeen and Shaqaq al-Khadra," CTS Staff Lieutenant General Abdelghani al-Assadi told AFP.
The jihadists have given up some of its bastions in Iraq and Syria with barely a fight in recent months but its men began the defence of their last Iraqi hub with anger.
"Resistance is very heavy and they have suffered major losses," Assadi said of IS.
- Perilous escape -
Soldiers from the army's 9th armoured division also battled jihadists in the southeastern neighbourhood of Intisar, an AFP correspondent reported, as forces attempted to increase their footprint in eastern Mosul.
They first entered the streets of Mosul on Friday and were met with what one officer described as stiffer than expected resistance from IS jihadists. (AFP)