The Iraqi forces advanced towards Makhmour airbase near Mosul city and plan to use the base as a command center for directing their attacks on the ISIS (Daesh / ISIL) terrorists to win back Mosul city.
The Iraqi joint forces backed by the country's fighter jets made their way towards Makhmour air base from the Eastern part of Tigris River.
The Iraqi defense minister in a statement announced that the government forces have taken control of all villages of Haj Ali region and have reached the Eastern side of the Tigris River and 60 kilometers to the South of Mosul city.
On Monday, Iraq's joint military forces managed to seize back seven strategic villages after inflicting heavy losses on them.
"The Iraqi forces took full control of seven villages in an area known as Haj Ali near Mosul city," the Arabic-language media quoted an unnamed informed military source as saying.
On Sunday, the Iraqi joint forces also seized back three key villages near Mosul city.
The Iraqi forces took control of al-Karamah, al-Asriyah and al-Mahl villages to the West of Makhmour in the Southern part of Mosul city.
A battlefield source announced that at least 29 ISIS terrorists were killed in clashes with the Iraqi forces in Southern Mosul, and said, "The Iraqi army's engineering unit is currently defusing the bombs planted in the area."
On Thursday, the Iraqi military sources said that the country's army has advanced towards an important air base in the Southern parts of Mosul which can be a springboard for a future offensive on the city.
"The troops are now around 45 km away from the air base at Qayara," military officials said.
Informed military sources disclosed last Wednesday that Iraq's joint military forces had made headway towards Mosul.
"The Iraqi joint forces crossed the borders of Nineveh province and are moving towards Mosul city," the Arabic-language media quoted an unnamed Iraqi popular forces commander as saying.
Meantime, Commander of Salahuddin Operations Major General Jomeh Anad said that the Iraqi forces have entered the entrance of al-Sharqat city in Salahuddin province after heavy clashes with the Takfiri terrorists, FNA reported.
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