Inside Mosul offensive against Islamic State

Since Iraq launched an operation to retake Mosul from the Islamic State group (outlawed in Russia), its forces have pushed toward the city from the north, east and south

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An underground tunnel made by Islamic State militants in Bartella, Iraq, 27 October, 2016. The town of Bartella in northern Iraq lays about 20 kilometres east of Mosul

Iraq's elite counterterrorism forces preparing to attack Islamic State positions as fighting to retake the extremist-held city of Mosul enters its second week, in the village of Tob Zawa, outside Mosul

A member of Iraq's elite counterterrorism forces

A handcuffed suspected Islamic State militant sits outside his house in the village of Tob Zawa, outside Mosul

A burning oil well in Qayara, outside Mosul

A member of the Iraqi security forces gets medical attention after inhaling sulfur fumes, at a hospital in Qayyarah, outside Mosul. Islamic State fighters torched a sulfur plant south of Mosul, sending a cloud of toxic fumes into the air that mingled with oil wells the militants had lit on fire to create a smoke screen

Soldiers give the first aid to a boy injured during the clashes between Iraq's elite counterterrorism forces and Islamic State militiants in the village of Tob Zawa

Children who have inhaled sulfur fumes wait for treatment at a hospital in Qayyarah, outside Mosul

A statue of Virgin Mary in Bartella, outside Mosul, that was captured by Iraqi forces

The inside of the church of Saint Shmoni, damaged by Islamic State fighters, in Bartella

Weapons belonging to resting members of Iraq's elite counterterrorism forces placed near a depiction of the Last Supper, damaged by Islamic State fighters, at a house in Bartella

Civilians flee their houses, as Iraq's elite counterterrorism forces fight against IS militants, in the village of Tob Zawa, outside Mosul

A ground operation to liberate Mosul from terrorists of Islamic State began on October 17. It involves the Iraqi government troops, Kurdish units and the US-led international anti-terrorist coalition. Since Iraq launched an operation to retake Mosul from the Islamic State group, its forces have pushed toward the city from the north, east and south, battling the militants in a belt of mostly uninhabited towns and villages. Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city with a population of 1.3 million, has been controlled by Islamic State for over two years. Images showing the Mosul offensive - in this gallery by TASS.