Bashiqa liberation by the Iraqi Armed Forces and their allies on Sunday night marks the first phase of the Mosul offensive.
The city of Bashiqa itself was historically Assyrian; however, it was quickly depopulated after the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, IS and Daesh) reign of terror began in 2014.
With Bashiqa under their control, the Iraqi Armed Forces will now turn their attention to the remaining villages along Mosul's southern countryside, AMN reports.
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