Shiite fighters of the Popular Mobilisation Forces celebrate in a neighbourhood recently liberated from Daesh militants, on the eastern side of Mosul, on Sunday (AP photo)

BAGHDAD — Iraqi special forces swept through the campus of Mosul University on Sunday to clear it of any remaining Daesh terror group militants after taking full control of the area, a spokesman said. Iraqi forces, backed by air cover from a U.S.-led coalition, say they are close to recapturing the entire eastern bank of the river, bringing them in full control of eastern Mosul, and thus half of IS's last major Iraq stronghold. Iraqi forces aim to take full control of the eastern bank of the Tigris river, which bisects Mosul from north to south, before they can launch attacks on the west, which Islamic State still fully holds. MOSUL, Iraq, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Iraqi special forces battled Islamic State militants inside the Mosul University campus on Saturday in a second day of fierce clashes in the complex and also discovered chemicals used to try to make weapons, officers said.
Iraqi forces capture parts of Mosul University and several areas along the Tigris River from Islamic State militants.