Iraqi armed forces said on Friday they had retaken three villages south of Mosul in their advance towards the city, which is held by Islamic State (ISIS , ISIL , IS and Daesh) terror group.
The army said it had liberated the villages of Imam Gharbi, Tala and Mrer in an effort to secure a safe zone around the Qayyarah Air Base, a military air strip that is expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming offensive on Mosul.
