The Iraqi forces liberated several areas near Tall Kayf (Tel Keppe), a predominately Christian town north of Mosul, the Nineveh Liberation Operation Command Center announced, according to the Arabic-language al-Forat news agency.
In another development during the massive operation to retook Mosul from Daesh, the Iraqi security forces managed to kill 4 leaders of the terror group south of the embattled city.
Earlier on Thursday, Commander of Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service Major General Abdel Ghani al-Asadi announced starting the second phase of the massive operation to retake Mosul.
The report came as the Iraqi army and Popular Mobilization Units backed by Kurdish Peshmerga forces are continuing their operations to liberate Mosul from the foreign-backed terrorists.
They launched a joint operation on October 17 to retake Mosul.
Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city and the capital of Nineveh Province, fell into the hands of Daesh in June 2014.