Iraqi forces have recaptured a new neighbourhood in eastern Mosul on Tuesday (November 29th), despite fierce resistance from the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL), the Ninawa Operations Command said.

"Our forces have fully retaken al-Sokar neighbourhood following a long night of battles in which about 40 ISIL elements were killed and a number of their vehicles were burnt," Ninawa Operations commander Nejim Edin Karim al-Jubury told Diyaruna.

"The Iraqi flag is currently flying over al-Khansaa Hospital in central al-Sokar, and we are working on clearing the area quickly as there are dozens of families who stayed in their homes," he added.

Meanwhile, three villages have been liberated on the southern and western fronts, al-Jubury said, adding, "We expect to recapture Mosul airport within a day or two."

Iraqi forces are within three kilometres of Mosul airport immediately south of the city, AFP reported Tuesday.

They also launched an offensive on Tuesday morning 90 kilometres south of Mosul to seize ISIL-held territory east of al-Sharqat, a town they seized from the group in September.