The Iraqi forces have recaptured a village near Qayara district in southern Mosul, Ninawa province.

Ninawa operations command spokesman Fras Bashar said the forces raised Iraqi flags over buildings in the village of Jiwana and started to defuse explosives planted by Daesh militants.

Mosul is the largest urban center under the militants' control, and had a pre-war population of nearly two million.

Regaining control of Mosul would be an effective defeat of Daesh in Iraq, according to Prime Minister Haider al Abadi, who has said he aimed to retake the city this year. 

Source ; MENA