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While all five bridges linking the government-held eastern Mosul to the western part have been destroyed, the takeover of the fourth bridge will allow Iraqi forces to lay a ramp over the broken part and open a supply route from east.

"The Rapid Response Forces of the Iraqi Federal Police completely liberated al-Jawsaq neighborhood and control the fourth bridge... Iraqi flags are now raised on buildings, and heavy casualties were inflicted on ISIS," Lt. Gen. Abdel Amir Rasheed Yarallah of the Joint Operations Command said Monday.

Government forces retook the eastern bank from ISIS a month ago, completing a key phase in an offensive on Mosul that began on October.

The battle to take over west Mosul, where about 750,000 people are believed to be living, has proved to be challenging. The narrow, densely-populated streets there makes the impact of heavy weaponry deadly and indiscriminate, and access to aid difficult.

The United Nations food agency said accounts by residents in west Mosul were very alarming.

"Through telephone interviews, many distressed families said that food was unaffordable, while others said they could not access food at all," the WFP's Iraq chief Sally Haydock said. "Due to increased fighting, people are afraid to leave their homes, making it even more difficult to search for essential food items."

According to government figures, almost 4,000 people fled west Mosul since the launch of the military operation in western Mosul on February 19.

As a result of the two and a half years of ISIS rule in Mosul, many of those newly-displaced have found themselves in a legal limbo without proper identification documents. Some lost their documents as they fled ISIS, while others were holding birth and marriage documents issued by ISIS that are not recognized by the Iraqi government.

According to officials with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, nearly half of the displaced they interviewed were in need of legal help to obtain legal documents.

Civil identity cards are essential for traveling and passing through checkpoints, as well as getting access to public services, such as food assistance, health care and housing assistance.

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Iraq army seizes key Mosul bridge in ISIS battle - CNN

A baby's cry pierces the din as dozens of people wait to see a doctor or nurse at what's surely one of the busiest health clinics in the Middle East: inside a sprawling refugee camp that's home to 18,000 displaced men, women and children.

The future of the clinic in Erbil, Iraq is as unclear as that of its clientele.

The facility is just one of several projects Canada is supporting in Iraq as part of its efforts to help those affected by the war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant help those on the front lines say is desperately needed.

"It's very important for the people here that they have this clinic and they can get services here," Azad Murad, a nurse with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said through a translator.

"And it's really good that the Canadian government helps the clinic, because it is a great help for the people here."

But as welcome as Canada's support is, the UN and other aid agencies say more is needed from the international community now and going forward.

"One of the things we are nervous about inside the humanitarian community is once (ISIL) is gone in the next couple of months, the world is going to turn its back," said Lisa Grande, the UN's humanitarian chief in Iraq.

"They're going to look at Syria and Yemen and other places that have a crisis. But we know the humanitarian crisis in Iraq is not going to be over when the fighting is."

The Liberal government pledged last year to provide $840 million over three years in humanitarian aid to Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon as part of its revamped mission against ISIL.

On Monday, International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau revealed the latest details, announcing that $52 million would be directed to different NGOs working with refugees in Iraq.

The funds will be directed to three key areas: health care, clean water and sanitation, and providing psychological help and counselling for those affected by conflict, especially women and children.

A Canadian Forces Griffon helicopter flies over a Internal Displaced persons camp near Erbil, Iraq, February 20, 2017. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)

Another $187.5 million will go toward similar projects in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.

Speaking from Erbil after touring the nearby Ashti refugee camp, Bibeau said she saw and heard first-hand how Iraqis are struggling with the traumas associated with war.

That's why Canada has put a special emphasis on psychological support, she said.

"They've been through horrible things, and they were telling me how this support from our humanitarian partners is important for them," Bibeau said.

"And not only talking about the food, but the needs they have in terms of psychosocial support."

Women and girls have been a particular focus for Canadian assistance; one such initiative, visited recently by The Canadian Press, is a women's centre in the Khanke refugee camp near the city of Dohuk.

Established by the UN Population Fund in October 2014, the centre features a women's-only health clinic, including reproductive education, recreational activities such as knitting, and job training.

"Before coming I was not comfortable, I was crying," Baran Shmo Yosf, who fled with her family when ISIL attacked their town more than two years ago, said through a translator. "Now I can keep going on."

Bibeau said Canada is unique in having pledged its money for a three-year period, a strategy meant to give its UN and NGO partners confidence to run their programs over a longer stretch of time.

Yet Bibeau would not commit to making Iraq what the government refers to as a "country of focus" for Canadian assistance, except to say that the government is reviewing its aid policy.

"Part of the review is to reconsider where we work. The idea of the countries of focus and partner countries is on the table right now," she said.

"Obviously the Middle East is a fragile area and a fragile region, and this is in my mandate, to refocus international assistance on the most vulnerable and on fragile states."

Grande did not single Canada out specifically, but said the international community has "responsibility" to continue to support Iraq as it tries to rebuild following years of war.

"The planning horizon for coming out of a civil war is a generation," she said.

"If we're lucky, that's 10 years. If it's a miracle, it's five years. On average, it's best to assume it's 20 years. However we look at it, the Iraqis have a difficult road ahead of them.

"Part of our responsibility in the international community is to realize this and walk shoulder-to-shoulder with them on the road however long it may be."

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Canadian dollars deliver medical aid, trauma counselling for refugees in Iraq - CBC.ca

Former President George W. Bush has told Fox News' Sean Hannity that he was "frustrated" when the U.S. pulled troops out of Iraq in 2011, clearing the way for ISIS to be formed from the remains of Al Qaeda in Iraq.

"I think what people have got to realize is this bunch of thugs can be defeated, because we did so with the surge," Bush said in a portion of the interview broadcast Monday. "And we can win again."

BUSH BREAKS SILENCE ON TRUMP, URGES 'WELCOMING' IMMIGRATION POLICY

"I've heard both Presidents [Obama and Trump] say we're going to degrade and defeat ISIS and I say 'go get 'em' because they can be degraded and defeated," Bush added. "It's very important, in my mind, that we do so, so that people know they can rely upon us and the people -- not only governments but people on the ground."

SEE MORE OF GEORGE W. BUSH ON 'HANNITY' EVERY NIGHT THIS WEEK ON FOX NEWS CHANNEL

Bush sat down with Hannity ahead of the release of "Portaits of Courage" a book featuring Bush's paintings of almost 100 military veterans. Bush said the idea to do the portraits came from one of his art instructors, who advised him to "paint people nobody knows."

"And it just dawned on me ... warriors," Bush said. "And so I did, I painted all these warriors. Ive known every one of them. I know their stories ... and I admire them greatly."

A companion exhibit to the book will be on view at the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas beginning Thursday and continuting through Oct. 1.

"This exhibit," Bush said, "honors those who heard the call and volunteered and were willing to risk their lives to not only defend ourselves, but to advance liberty."

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George W. Bush: US troop pullout from Iraq 'frustrated me' - Fox News

Mudhafar Abdulwahid Khaleefa in the Amman hospital

In a hospital for reconstructive surgery in Amman,Jordan, war-wounded patients from Iraq receive treatment for complex injuries. The project was established by Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF) in 2006 when it became clear that no such care existed for victims of the war in Iraq. It has since expanded to receive patients from Gaza, Yemen and Syria.

Since the project opened, MSF has treated approximately 4,500 patients and performed nearly 10,000 surgeries. Iraqis are the largest patient group, with 2,442 patients referred from Iraq since the start of the project.

Dr Omar Adil Alani manages patient referrals in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. He has worked with the MSF hospital in Amman since the beginning of 2014.

"The need for reconstructive surgery in Iraq is very big due to the continuous conflict since 2003 and the financial situation our country is facing," says Dr Omar. "While they may receive initial care for their wounds, our patients do not usually have access to specialised surgical procedures. Through this project, MSF offers surgery to treat complications that appear months after the first intervention complications that were hard to predict in the initial life-saving stage and that have a serious impact on the patient's recovery."

The hospital in Amman provides a comprehensive care package for its patients, which includes physiotherapy and psychosocial support alongside specialised surgery. Patients are also provided with accommodation and financial assistance with travel to and from the hospital as well as in-between treatments if the care plan is prolonged.

In Baghdad, Dr Omar coordinates a team of medical liaison officers who identify and refer patients from Iraq.

"The medical liaison officers are in close contact with nine hospitals in Baghdad that deal with trauma cases," says Dr Omar. "We also reach out to other parts of Iraq through a network of medical doctors, the Directorates of Health, MSF offices and other organisations that are present in the field and that meet people in need of reconstructive surgery."

The patients referred to Amman for treatment include people with injuries caused by bombs, explosions and shells. Some have bones that are not just broken but completely shattered. Others have severe burns injuries that cover much of their body. Others have facial injuries, which can include serious damage to lower and upper jaws, making eating or even breathing difficult. Many patients have lost mobility in parts of their body; some have undergone amputatations. Most of the patients need advanced reconstructive surgery, often over many months or even years. The criteria for referrals are strict: they include only those patients whose abilities can be improved with surgery; aesthetics are considered secondary.

Mudhafar Abdulwahid Khaleefa, 43, was injured when armed men stormed the building where he worked. During the attack, he fell from the third floor and suffered multiple fractures to his leg and hip, as well as an injury to the spine. Over the following year, he had seven rounds of surgery, but the bone fractures failed to heal.

"In the end, the doctors recommended amputation above the knee," says Mudhafar. "The bone in my leg was infected and it wouldn't heal. I was starting to feel very bad emotionally. Then I was put in contact with MSF and after a medical assessment I was accepted for treatment in the hospital in Amman. Over four months they operated on my leg several times, first to treat the infection and then to progressively restore the functionality of the leg. Now I don't need a wheelchair anymore and I can walk with crutches."

Many patients who come to MSF's hospital in Amman have already undergone multiple rounds of surgery and received courses of various antibiotics. Some develop resistance to the drugs, and face having their limbs amputated in an attempt to control the infection. In Amman, these patients have the possibility of taking last-line antibiotics to save the limb.

After successful surgery, patients move on to physiotherapy and other types of support. Every year, hospital staff conduct almost 2,000 physiotherapy sessions, while 22 per cent of the patients receive mental health support. Their emotional wounds are not visible but are often deep, and can have a major impact on the patient's life and ability to recover. Most patients have had extremely distressing and traumatic experiences, and their lives have been changed forever by their injuries and the loss of loved ones.

"The psychological support I received in Amman was very important for my physical recovery," says Mudhafar.

Dr Omar describes another patient for whom the mental health support provided by the MSF team has made a huge difference. "A pregnant woman who was on a street in Baghdad when a car bomb exploded was severely burnt over most of her body and lost her baby. When she came to us she was very depressed, she had divorced her husband and wanted to commit suicide. Because of the burns on her face she had difficulties speaking and breathing. She has now had multiple surgeries in Amman and is making good progress.

In Baghdad, Dr Omar and his team plan to expand their work so that they also have a permanent presence in Iraqi Kurdistan, increasing their ability to find patients whose lives could be changed by specialised surgery.

"The situation here in Iraq is very difficult and many patients who need this specialised treatment don't have access to it," says Dr Omar. "I'm very happy to be in this position, because it allows me to help fellow Iraqis. To see a patient who was in a wheelchair for a long time come back from Amman walking by himself that is an amazing feeling."

MSF has worked continuously in Iraq since 2006. In order to ensure its independence, MSF does not accept funding from any government, religious committee or international agency for its programmes in Iraq, and relies solely on private donations from the general public around the world to carry out its work. In Iraq, MSF currently employs over 900 staff.

Excerpt from:
Jordan/Iraq: A new life for war-wounded Iraqis - Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF) International

IRAQI GOVERNMENT forces last week launched a crucial campaign to retake the western side of Mosul, the Islamic States largest remaining urban stronghold. U.S. planes and special forces were providing critical close-up support for a battle that commanders believe could drag on for months. Victory is not assured and the humanitarian cost, which Iraqi forces managed to minimize in capturing the eastern side of the city, could steeply rise. Yet the biggest challenge looms beyond the immediate battle: whether Mosul and other Sunni-populated areas of Iraq can be stabilized once the jihadists are driven out. Unfortunately, in his first weeks in office President Trump has significantly worsened the chances for success.

The rise of the Islamic State was facilitated by sectarian tensions among Iraqs majority Shiite and minority Sunni and Kurdish populations, and in particular by the discrimination against Sunnis by a Shiite-led Baghdad government backed by Iran. After the fall of Mosul in 2014 the Obama administration helped to engineer the removal of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who fomented the sectarianism, and his replacement by the more moderate Haider al-Abadi, who pledged to build a more inclusive regime. Mr. Abadis good intentions have mostly been thwarted by sectarian hard-liners, including Iranian-controlled Shiite militia groups.

Consequently, the military offensive to recapture Mosul has gone ahead without accompanying political steps that might strengthen moderate Sunni leaders against militants who will seek to perpetuate an insurgency against the Baghdad government. A report this month from the Institute for Study of War warned, Early indicators suggest that a post-ISIS Sunni insurgency may be forming in Iraq and al Qaeda (AQ) is trying to gain traction within it. It said, the U.S.-backed Coalition has been focused only on eliminating ISIS, not other insurgent groups or the conditions that grow them.

While the Obama administration deserves blame for sidestepping Iraqs political challenges, Mr.Trump has quickly exacerbated the trouble. His repeated suggestions that the United States might seize Iraqs oil fields have alienated forces across the political spectrum, notwithstanding a disavowal by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Worse, his inclusion of Iraq on a list of majority-Muslim nations from which visitors and immigrants would be banned has prompted Mr. Abadis opponents to demand that Americans including the more than 5,000 U.S. troops now operating against the Islamic State be expelled from the country.

Mr. Abadi managed to resist a parliamentary resolution to that effect after that ban was issued. But if Iraq remains on the list of banned nations in a revised order the White House says it is preparing, he could face another political rebellion that could cause his government to collapse. Tehrans Shiite militias could push to replace U.S. forces in the fight for Mosul; or more likely, Irans clients could demand that all American forces leave Iraq immediately after the battle. That would virtually ensure the predominance of sectarian elements among both Shiites and Sunnis and open the door to another resurgance by al-Qaeda or other jihadists.

Mr. Mattis discounted that risk during a visit to Baghdad last Monday, saying, I imagine well be in this fight for a while and well stand by each other. A reasonable Iraqi might ask: Why should a U.S. administration that bans all Iraqis from setting foot on American soil be regarded as a worthy partner?

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Trump is already losing the long-term fight in Iraq - Washington Post