Iraq: Iraqi army advance to Bartella, east of Mosul

The Iraqi army continued their assault into the outskirts of Bartella, east of Mosul, Friday, and made significant advances against the so-called Islamic State (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL) in the area.
Speaking on the operation, Iraqi military official Maan Ibrahim al-Saadi said that "we are searching the area for bombs and hidden weapons. We have confiscated a lot of vehicles and weapons and discovered a lot of tunnels and suicide belts. Today we will finish the search operation and will continue the battle."
Earlier on Friday, with the active support of the Iraqi Army troops, Pershmerga forces entered the Narvan district of the IS-held city.
Last Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the military operation to liberate the country's second largest city. The Islamic State captured Mosul in 2014 and the offensive is now spearheaded by the Iraqi army and Kurdish militia, supported by the coalition led by the United States.