(VOVworld) – Iraqi armed forces said Tuesday they had secured 20 villages on the outskirts of Mosul in the first 24 hours of an operation to free the city from the control of the Islamic State (IS).
 |
Iraqi forces in southern Mosul (Photo: Getty)
|
With air support from a US-led coalition, government and Kurdish troops launched a large-scale offensive on Monday to retake Mosul, the last major stronghold of IS in Iraq. The forces edged closer to the city on the southern and southeastern fronts, recapturing 20 villages in Mosul’s outskirts on the first day.