BAGHDAD: Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Monday announced the start of an offensive to retake Mosul , the capital of Islamic State 's so-called caliphate in Iraq. "I announce today the start of the heroic operations to free you from the terror and the oppression of Daesh," he said in a speech on state TV, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State. "We are proud to stand with you in this historic operation," Brett McGurk, U.S. envoy to the coalition against Islamic State, said on Twitter at the start of the Mosul offensive.Mosul is the last major stronghold of the ultra-hardline Sunni group in Iraq. "The forces that lead the liberation operation are the brave Iraqi army with the police forces," Abadi said. "They will enter the city and no one else.

Source: Economic Times October 17, 2016 01:18 UTC