Since then, more than 9,400 coalition airstrikes have allowed Iraqi forces to slowly claw back cities, towns, supply lines and infrastructure. After three days of airstrikes, the IS advance on Irbil was slowed and Kurdish forces retook the base. Sinjar, the small mostly Yazidi town north of Mosul, was retaken by Kurdish forces nine months ago, but it still lies in ruins. Even if Mosul is retaken by Iraqi forces, he said he worries the city will never be secure enough to be inhabitable again. RELATED STORIESIslamic State +BACKGROUND X ISIS burns 19 Yazidi girls to death for 'refusing to be sex slaves' A file picture of ISIS fighters.

Source: Times of India August 24, 2016 12:59 UTC