Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced Sunday that a military operation by Iraqi troops, Kurdish peshmerga, and allied forces backed by the U.S.-led coalition is underway to retake the city of Mosul from the Islamic State.
ISIS has been in control of Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, for more than two years, and it is their last major stronghold in the country. The operation has been in the planning stages for months, and more than 25,000 troops are taking part, The Associated Press reports. Residents were warned in advance of the offensive, and the U.N. said at least 1.2 million people might be affected, an "enormous" humanitarian impact.
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