Iraq seizes 19 villages on 1st day of Mosul offensive

By Ali Shikho and Gamal al-Badrani

NINEVEH, Iraq (AA) – Iraqi forces and Kurdish troops have taken 19 villages on the first day of a major offensive to recapture the northern city of Mosul from Daesh militants.

The Iraqi army and Kurdish Peshmerga forces launched a much-awaited operation late Sunday to retake Mosul – the last Daesh stronghold in northern Iraq, which was overrun by the terrorist group in 2014.

In a statement, the command of Peshmerga forces said its soldiers – who are deployed along the Al-Kazir axis east of Mosul -- have liberated nine villages from Daesh group.

According to the statement, U.S.-led coalition warplanes struck 17 Daesh targets in Mosul and destroyed four car-bombs.

Peshmerga officer Suran Nouri said 24 Daesh militants had been killed and four car-bombs destroyed on the first day of the Mosul offensive.

“Seven Peshmerga troops were killed and 24 others injured in the clashes,” he told Anadolu Agency.

Meanwhile, Iraqi forces have managed to recapture ten villages south of Mosul as part of the anti-Daesh onslaught.

“Iraqi troops have lost six soldiers on the first day of the battle,” Iraqi police officer Alaa al-Khatib said.

In mid-2014, Daesh captured Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, before overrunning vast swathes of territory in the country’s north and west.

Recent months have seen the Iraqi army, backed by local allies on the ground and the U.S.-led air coalition, retake much territory.

Nevertheless, the terrorist group remains in control of several parts of the country, including Mosul.

In recent weeks, the army and its allies have staged a gradual advance on Mosul, which officials in Baghdad have vowed to "liberate" by year’s end.