Iraqi forces have finished deploying around Mosul's right bank in preparation for the offensive to retake the west of the city from the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL), the Joint Operations Command said Wednesday (February 8th).
"Iraqi forces on Wednesday took their new positions after ISIL's frontlines were destroyed in preparatory airstrikes launched by the international coalition over the past few days," joint operations command spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasul told Diyaruna.
"Right now, we are working on providing protection for civilians, including creating safe passages," he said.
Dozens of ISIL elements were killed in the past two days as a result of aerial and rocket bombardment, Rasul said.
