Iraqi and Kurdish forces are continuing their offensive to retake the city of Mosul from Islamic State militants. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the offensive on Monday, which is expected to take weeks or even months.

Officials say Iraqi Kurdish forces retook 200 square kilometers of land during the advance on Mosul. Backed by the US-led coalition, they are trying to oust between four and eight thousand ISIL militants from the group's de facto capital. Mosul is ISIL's last major stronghold in Iraq, after suffering a string of territorial defeats in Iraq and Syria this year.