Iraqi and coalition forces start operation to reclaim city of Mosul held by Islamic State

After months of preparation, Iraqi and coalition forces finally started an operation to reclaim Mosul the last major Iraqi city held by the Islamic State. Iraqi government forces began bombing Mosul on Monday, as Kurdish-led troops captured villages just east of the city to lay the groundwor for the operation. Simultaneously a U.S.-led coalition launched airstrikes at Islamic State defensive positions in the long-anticipated drive to free the northern Iraqi city, captured by the militant group in 2014.

Based on reports by the Iraqi Kurdish military command and a statement from Iraqi government forces Kurdish Peshmerga forces advancing on Mosul captured seven villages to the east early Monday while Iraqi forces advanced from the south to head off the militants,