Iraqi troops push into IS-held southern outskirts of Mosul

Iraqi forces have reached the southern outskirts of Mosul on the second day of a new push to drive Islamic State militants from the western half of the city.

Iraqi helicopters were seen firing rockets at the village of Abu Saif, mainly at a hill that overlooks the city's airport and provides the militants with a natural defence line on the southern approaches to Mosul.

Separately, police forces in armoured vehicles were moving towards the sprawling Ghazlani military base on the south-western outskirts of the city.

Backed by aerial support from the US-led international coalition, Iraqi police and regular army troops launched an offensive on Sunday to retake western Mosul from IS following a 100-day campaign that pushed the militants from the eastern half of the city.

Up to 400,000 civilians at risk of being displaced by Iraqi offensive to rid western Mosul of Daesh https://t.co/zIaILJGzjI pic.twitter.com/7tPxtqNUxI

— TRT World (@trtworld) February 19, 2017

PA