Iraqi rapid response forces take cover from snipers during battle with Islamic State militants in the Mithaq district of eastern Mosul. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi forces said they launched new assaults in Mosul's Old City on Monday after more than two weeks of only small advances and a high civilian death toll appeared to prompt a change in tactics.
A March 17 explosion that killed between 60 and 240 people, according to conflicting accounts, cast a shadow over the U.S.-backed offensive to drive Islamic State (IS) militants out of Iraq's second largest city, and the parliament speaker spoke of ceasing operations until civilian casualties could be avoided.
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