Battle to Retake Mosul from ISIS Begins

FEATURING DAHLIA WASFI – Iraqi forces have begun a major battle to retake the city of Mosul from the Islamic State. Backed by US air and ground support, the Iraqi government says it is closing in on the last major stronghold of the group inside Iraq. Kurdish Peshmerga forces are deploying from the East while Iraqi national Army soldiers head north.

There are 1.5 million civilian residents of Mosul that have been living under Islamic State rule for the past 2 years. Aid groups fear some residents may be used by ISIS as human shields. Meanwhile the Iraqi government insists there is safe passage for Mosul’s civilians. On the eve of the battle ISIS released another one of its horror-filled propaganda videos showing the execution of prisoners.

Dahlia Wasfi, Iraqi American physician and peace activist. She has written and spoken extensively on U.S. policy in the Middle East and is currently writing a book on Iraq.