Iraqi Chief of Staff Othman al Ghanimi arrived Tuesday in Erbil, some 80 km from Mosul, to follow up the ongoing military operation to retake Mosul city.

Iraqi warplanes struck three Daesh-affiliated outposts in Al Khanuka in northern Salahuddin province, killing dozens of Daesh militants and destroying their vehicles.

The Iraqi defense ministry said that the warplanes hit several Daesh positions and destroyed a vehicle fitted with a single heavy machine gun.

The ministry added that 25 terrorists were also killed in the airstrikes.

Iraqi Prime Minister and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces Haider al Abadi said that a military offensive to liberate Iraq's second largest city from Daesh militants began at dawn Monday.

In a speech broadcast on state TV, Abadi said "The time of victory has come and operations to liberate Mosul have started."

"Today, I declare the start of these victorious operations to free you from the violence and terrorism of Daesh," he said addressing Mosul residents. 

He also urged Mosul residents to cooperate with the Iraqi military forces to finalize the operation as soon as possible and raise the Iraqi flag in the city. 

"The force leading liberation operations is the brave Iraqi army with the national police and they are the ones that will enter Mosul, not others," Abadi made it clear. 

The "mother of all battles" operation aims at retaking Mosul city that was captured by Daesh group in June 2014.

Source: MENA