He Added that his forces had completed their training and he was only waiting for the prime minister to give the order to retake Mosul.

One convoys of heavy equipment were seen moving towards southern Mosul on Sunday, and there were reports of an Iraqi armoured brigade deploying on the eastern side of the city as well.

The Army said it had completed the construction of a pontoon bridge across the River Khazer.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has promised that Mosul would be liberated before the end of the year.

It is estimated that there might be up to 8,000 ISIS fighters in the city that they have held since 2014.

South of Mosul, in the town of Qayara, which was retaken by the army in August, pro-government militias of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have established checkpoints.

Most PMF fighters in the area have been recruited from among the locals.

US troops are expected to be engaged more closely than ever in fighting against ISIS as they back Iraqi forces in the long-anticipated assault on Mosul,AP reports.

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