Iraq starts offensive to retake Mosul from ISIS
Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi on Monday announced the start of an offensive to retake Mosul, the capital of Islamic State in Iraq. The assault, backed by the US-led coalition, could reportedly be the biggest military operation in Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. Notably, Mosul is the last major Iraqi stronghold of the ultra-hardline Sunni group.