The advance on Mosul resumes, as Iraqi forces aim to move within a few hundred meters of the ISIL-stronghold.
Entering the third week of the offensive, a military official told AFP news agency that they hoped to capture the last two villages before reaching Iraq’s second city.
An elite counter-terrorism unit paused its advance on Friday after making quicker than expected progress in order to consolidate their gains.
Fighting has resumed on the eastern front where coalition forces are attempting to recapture the villages of Bazwaya et Gogjali.
Once the Iraqi and Peshmerga forces reach Mosul, they are expected to besiege the city from all sides, while opening up civilian corridors to allow the remaining population to reach safety.
“We didn’t think we'd survive. There is nothing better than to be safe in this tent with my wife + children” #Mosul https://t.co/xarMFAzeaU— UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) October 31, 2016
