Kurdish Peshmerga forces are edging toward Mosul from the nearby village of Nawaran, as part of an Iraqi military offensive to reclaim the city from ISIL militants. 

Mortar fire hit villages held by the group near Mosul, part of an operation to clear surrounding areas before the main push into the city.

Kurdish Peshmerga fighters said ISIL have put up weak resistance as they retreated to the city. The operation to oust ISIL from Iraq's second-largest city began this week. Around 1.5 million people still live in Mosul and the battle is expected to last weeks or even months.