“Fighting is very intense in the Old City and civilians are at extreme, almost unimaginable risk. Helicopter gunships were assisting the ground thrust, firing at insurgent emplacements in the Old City, a Reuters correspondent reported from a location near the frontlines. At least 100 civilians reached the safety of a government-held area west of the Old City in one 20-minute period, tired, scared and hungry. The mine explosion killed Iraqi journalist Bakhtiyar Haddad and French journalist Stephane Villeneuve while another freelance reporter suffered minor injuries. Hundreds of civilians fleeing the Old City have been killed in the past three weeks.

Source: Dhaka Tribune June 25, 2017 03:00 UTC