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The Road to Mosul

Monday, October 17, 10:21 Iraqi forces launch action to retake Mosul Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has announced the start of an offensive to recapture the northern city Mosul from the Islamic State militant group. Mosul is the militant group's largest stronghold in Iraq. Following the prime minister's televised speech early Monday, the Iraqi military said it had begun bombarding the city from the south. Ahead of the start of the operations, the Iraqi military dropped thousands of leaflets over Mosul, calling on residents to stay away from militant hideouts and not to believe rumors. More than 1 million people live in the city and surrounding areas. The militant group took control of Mosul in June 2014, and proclaimed the establishment of an Islamic state in a region straddling Syria and Iraq. Government forces from Syria and Iraq as well as the US-led coalition and the Russian military have joined the offensive against the militant group. Observers say if Iraqi troops recapture the city, it will be a major blow to the militants. The UN says it is building refugee camps in northern Iraq as it estimates 700,000 people in the area will need assistance. Operation to retake Mosul from ISIL underway An Iraqi offensive is underway to retake Mosul, the Islamic State militants' major stronghold in the country. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in a televised speech early on Monday that the operation to liberate Mosul from the brutal militants has begun. The northern city has been the group's main stronghold since June of 2014. Some 20,000 troops, including Kurdish fighters, are being deployed around Mosul. They are reportedly closing in on nine villages near the city. Iraqi and Kurdish forces say the militants are withdrawing from some areas while others are striking back with suicide bombings. Some Kurdish troops have been killed or wounded, and are being taken to emergency field hospitals. Observers say that if Iraqi troops recapture the city, it will deal a major blow to the militants. But it is feared that more than one million people in and around Mosul could be used by the militants as human shields. Iraqi troops and the US-led coalition, which is carrying out airstrikes in support of the government, are thought to be trying to avoid civilian casualties.