That assault was meant to distract the Iraqi forces and their allies from the massive operation around Mosul, the country's second largest city. ISIS launched a similar attack on the western Iraqi town of Rutba, hundreds of kilometres away from Mosul, on Sunday. Rasool said the situation there "is completely under control," and ISIS militants have no presence inside the town. Dorrian, the coalition spokesman, said "Iraqi forces continue to attack the enemy with coalition air support" in Rutba and that "operations are ongoing." The militants captured Mosul in the summer of 2014, when they swept across much of northern and western Iraq.

Source: CBC News October 24, 2016 09:30 UTC