Entering Mosul from north, Iraqi army faces difficult urban combat

Iraqi forces began their assault on Mosul's Hadba apartment complex early on Friday, breaching the city's northern limits for the first time since the campaign to retake the jihadists' last major stronghold in Iraq began nearly three months ago. Pressing their advance on Saturday, troops closed in on the Tigris river that runs through the middle of Mosul.

Elite counter-terrorism services (CTS) pushed into the city from the east in October, but regular army units like the 16th division deployed to the north made slower progress and the offensive stalled.

Iraqi forces renewed their assault just over a week ago and have since made rapid progress in Mosul's eastern districts with increased support from US forces now visible very close to the front lines.