According to armed forces closing in on the Islamic State-controlled city, some 20 villages on the outskirts of Mosul were secured during first hours of the operation. With air support from a US-led coalition, government and Kurdish forces edge closer to the city. As part of the operation, more than 5,000 U.S. soldiers are reportedly deployed in support missions, as are troops from France, Britain, Canada and other Western nations. The Iraqi army is attacking Mosul on the southern and southeastern fronts, while the Kurdish Peshmerga carries out their operation to the east of the city.
“Our forces made huge progress yesterday on all operation fronts. The brave Peshmerga forces liberated nine villages in Nineveh plain, northeast of Mosul, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy, whereas on the southeastern side, heroes of the (Iraqi Army) 9th Armored Division liberated several villages, edging closer to the outskirts of Hamdaniya, and it is now in the range of our direct and indirect fire. Moreover, the (Iraqi Army) 15th Division of the Nineveh Liberation Operations Command liberated the villages of al-Hod and al-Lazaka,” said Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool, Iraqi military J.O.C. spokesman.
Despite fears of a mass exodus of people from the city, reports indicate no residents have fled, as of yet. Around 1.5 million people still live in Mosul and the international organizations for migration said the Islamic State may use tens of thousands of residents as human shields to hold onto their last stronghold of Iraq.