The Iraqi Army's 9th Armored Division, backed by the Nineveh Plains
Protection Units (Assyrian forces) and Popular Mobilization Units (Hashd
Al-Sha'abi), launched a new assault in northern Mosul today, targeting
the Islamic State-held town of Batnaya.
Batnaya is a historically Assyrian town that was captured by the Islamic State in mid-2014.
As
a result of the Islamic State's occupation, most of Batnaya's residents
were forced to flee to the Irbil Governorate in order to avoid
persecution by the terrorist forces.
Its liberation by the Iraqi
Armed Forces will play a crucial role in their upcoming assault on
Mosul, as this Assyrian town is situated just 22 km north of the
provincial capital.