"The entire first defense lines of Islamic state (ISIS , ISIL, IS and Daesh) in the Southern front of Mosul city have been devastated," the police chief wrote on his face book.

"We have annihilated the entire first defense lines of Daesh in Southern Mosul, and our military units, backed up by the army's artillery units and Iraqi fighter jets, are advancing towards center of Mosul," Shaker Jowdat said.

Iraqi military source said the Special Forces engaged in fierce fighting with the militants on the outskirts of Daesh-hold region of Adan, Al Khazra and Al Karama east of the city of Mosul, the source pointed to the deaths of dozens of suicide bombers from Daesh after surrounding them in Gogjali area.

And In the southern axis and Interior Ministry security forces liberated the villages of Al Qahera, Ain Shalhoub on the outskirts of the town of Hamam Al Alil.

In the South-West axis Al-Alam Channel’s correspondent reports that Hashd Al Shabbi forces stormed ISIS positions in the area and Liberated Om Al Azam and Shurrat districts today morning. Also Shia fighters clear up a strategic oil field near the city of Tal Afar.

An Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman said earlier today that the Army troops have killed 778 ISIL members in the "Southern fronts" of the operation to liberate the Northern city of Mosul, while Iraqi warplanes dropped bombs on 375 militants.

"Iraqi security forces recaptured hundreds of miles of land and killed over 1,100 ISIL fighters as their advance against the ISIL stronghold from the South continued," said Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman, Col. Saad Moen, Iraqi News reported.

The spokesman said 778 ISIL members were killed in operations by ground forces in the "Southern axis," while 375 others were killed as Iraqi warplanes dropped bombs on their positions.

The offensive helped liberate 895 miles of land in the surrounding Nineveh province, Moen added.Meanwhile, Kurdish forces said more than 480 ISIL fighters have been killed over the past few days during an operation Peshmerga to liberate Iraqi city of Mosul from militants.

The Rudaw news agency reported, citing Ismat Rajab, the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party branch in Mosul that about 300 newly-recruited ISIL fighters were found among the dead.

The operation to retake Mosul from the ISIL has been ongoing since October 17. Mosul has been occupied by the ISIL since 2014.

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