Iraq announces offensive against western Mosul on

mosul - The Iraqi air force on Saturday millions of leaflets over the western part of Mosul strewn to inform the residents that the ground offensive against Islamic State (IS) in this part of the city is about to begin. Citizens are invited to welcome the Iraqi forces and fighters of IS are advised to lay down their arms and surrender.

After an offensive three months was the Iraqi army in mid-January announced that it had captured IS all districts in the eastern part of Mosul. The river Tigris shares Mosul in two. In addition to an unknown number of IS fighters are in the western part of the city an estimated 650 000 civilians.

Mosul was captured by the IS extremists in June 2014. It was the largest city that the terrorist group had held in Iraq.