Iraqi forces, with aerial support from US-led coalition, advanced into the southern outskirts of Mosul on the second day of a push to drive ISIS from its stronghold.
Iraqi polices and army troops had already launched a 100-day campaign to drive out the Islamic State terrorist from the eastern half of Mosul.
On Monday, Iraqi helicopters fired rockets at the village of Abu Saif targeting a hill that overlooks the city’s airport. By noon, the forces entered the village and gained control over much of the strategic hill as fighting was still raging, Al Jazeera reported.
Meanwhile, troops in armoured vehicles were moving towards the Ghazlani military base on the southwestern outskirts of the city.
US defence secretary James Mattis had met the Iraqi officials to discuss the fight against the terrorists. US special operations forces are embedded with some Iraqi units and thousands of US troops are in Iraq providing logistical, aerial and other support to retake Iraq’s second-largest city.
