Iraqi special forces battling Islamic State group in Mosul reached the Tigris River that divides the city today. It is a key step and a first since the launch of a huge operation in mid-October last year. The group was on the back foot in Mosul after a week of significant gains for Iraqi forces but pressed a deadly campaign of bombings in Baghdad.<br/>'<br/>Elite Counter-Terrorism Forces reached the Tigris River from the eastern side of the fourth bridge, CTS spokesman Sabah al-Noman told AFP. The news was also confirmed by Iraqi Army Staff Lieutenant General Abdulamir Yarallah.<br/>'<br/>Tens of thousands of Iraqi forces launched an offensive on October 17 to retake Mosul, the last major urban centre in Iraq still controlled by the group that seized around a third of the country in 2014.