Rail tunnel 'used as base to train IS fighters'
Thursday 2 March 2017 08:39, UK
Iraqi forces have discovered what is believed to be an underground base used by Islamic State to train its fighters.
Troops from the army's rapid reaction force found the tunnel during its operation to retake the west of Mosul, the jihadists' last major stronghold in the country.
The facility - 10 metres below the surface and originally built by the Iraqi government as a railway tunnel - is in the village of Albu Sayf, near the airport, in southern Mosul.
US-backed troops launched their offensive to recapture western Mosul last month after taking back the eastern side in January.
The forces have already reclaimed the airport and are now advancing north.
Iraqi commanders said there was evidence that IS used the tunnel to train foreign fighters, children and teenagers for bombings and warfare.
They found paintings of IS flags and guns on the walls, as well as metal tubes and tyres on the ground for trainees to crawl through.
There was also a mural which read in Arabic: "We will conquer Rome, God willingly."
An Iraqi commander said of the facility: "It is designed as part of the training.
"The trainees, as part of their programmes, should crawl on to these barrels and get themselves in the mud to pass this phase of training.
"As you see power has been extended to lighten this base. They have fully equipped it without any shortcomings."
He also told the Rudaw news website: "The majority of those who used to undergo training here were foreigners."
