Iraqi Forces Launch Major Offensive Against Remaining IS-Held Mosul Neighborhoods

As the holy month of Ramadan began, Iraqi forces on May 27 launched a multi-pronged attack against the remaining Islamic State-held (IS) neighborhoods in western Mosul.The battle to retake the city from IS forces began in October 2016, with government and Kurdish forces, backed by US-led coalition air support, as well as Shia Muslim militias first retaking the city’s eastern side. In February, an operation to recapture areas west of the Tigris river launched.IS forces hold control in a small number of neighborhoods and areas including al-Shifa, Jumhuri Hospital, Zanjili, and Saha. The area includes the Mosul Old City and the Great Mosque, where the IS leader, Abu-Bakr Al-Baghdadi, spoke in 2014 after the city was captured.This video shows smoke rising over the city on May 27.