Kurdish forces in Iraq have seized the main highway connecting Bissiga and Mosul, the militants cut off the escape route, which remain inside.

Dozens of ISIL militants were killed on the outskirts of Mosul. Two Christian cities - Hamdania and Bartalla - was released over the weekend, saying the Iraqi military. The U.S. defense Secretary ash Carter met with Prime Minister of the Kurdistan regional government of Nechirvan Barzani in Erbil.

The offensive, which is on schedule or ahead of schedule, in accordance with Kurdish and Iraqi leaders, a remarkable level of cooperation. Not comparable groups show in the face of their common foe - an extraordinary Union faction, which had long stood on opposite sides in Iraq's history.

Thousands of ground troops were supported from the top concentrated airstrikes aimed at weakening the protection of ISIS. Coalition forces, which exceed the strength of the militants closer to the besieged city, which is still approximately 200 to 300 thousand civilians. Mosul was under the control of ISIS for 2 years, giving them ample time to strengthen the defense.

Lieutenant-General Riyadh Jalal, commander of the Iraqi ground forces, said a government-run al-Iraqiya TV on Sunday that the city Hamdaniya, also known as Karakum been released and that the authorities are currently in the process of returning local officials and planning repair of infrastructure.
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