22 February 2017, 21:24 GMT
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to a military official, the Iraqi federal police, the rapid reaction forces, backed by aviation and heavy artillery are storming the Mosul airport from the several directions and have already destroyed a part of the Daesh fortifications, the Sky News Arabia reported on Thursday.
Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, was captured by Daesh militants in June 2014. Iraqi and US-led coalition forces liberated the eastern part of the city in late January 2017, while its western part remains under terrorists’ control.
IMPORTANT:#Iraq's Federal Police has stormed #Mosul airport. A major Da'ish command centre. Heavy fighting ongoing. pic.twitter.com/Z1foewZ6AZ
— Haidar Sumeri (@IraqiSecurity) 23 февраля 2017 г.
UPDATE: Iraqi forces reached the permieter of the strategic International airport in western Mosul after heavy clashes with Islamic State.
— NewsCenter HQ (@NewsCenterHQ) 23 февраля 2017 г.
On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of the operations to liberate the western part of the city.
