BAGHDAD (Sputnik) — The Iraqi militia forces engaged on Monday in fierce battles with Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) fighters to liberate Mosul province, an Iraqi security source told Sputnik.
"Fierce battles are taking place between the Iraqi resistance forces and IS fighters inside Mosul in the areas of Bab Lakkash and Bab Jadeed," the source said.
The source also confirmed that Daesh defense lines had fallen in the city of Basheqa after engaging in a fierce battle with the Kurdish Peshmerga forces who are currently 20 kilometers (12,4 miles) away from Mosul.
Mosul, the second biggest Iraqi city, as well as a number of other northern and western Iraqi cities and towns was seized in 2014 during an offensive of Daesh, a jihadist group outlawed in Russia.
