Iraqi forces launch operation to drive ISIS from town south of Mosul
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Iraqi forces launched an operation on Tuesday to retake the northern town of Shirqat from ISIS, a stepping stone in their campaign to recapture the jihadists' stronghold of Mosul before the end of the year.
Shirqat, which lies on the Tigris River 100 km (60 miles) south of Mosul, has been surrounded by Iraqi troops and Iranian-backed Shi'ite Muslim militias allied to the government.
Tens of thousands of civilians are thought to be trapped there. Officials have warned for months of a humanitarian disaster inside, where residents living under ISIS's harsh rule say food supplies have dwindled and prices soared.
