TEHRAN (Tasnim) � The Iraqi military forces liberated four villages south of the city of Mosul as part of an extensive operation to flush out terrorists from the Nineveh Province.

In the successful operation on Friday, the Iraqi troops managed to regain control of four villages in the suburbs of the town of Qayyarah, which lies 60 kilometers (40 miles) south of Mosul, RT Arabic reported.

During the military offensive, supported by fighter jets, seven explosive-laden vehicles were detonated and tens of Daesh (ISIL) terrorists were killed.

The Iraqi military and its allies are involved in a large-scale offensive to liberate the northern city of Mosul, which Daesh has proclaimed its headquarters in Iraq. Mosul fell to Daesh terrorists in summer 2014.

A 2015 offensive to retake the city came to a halt after Daesh militants overran the city of Ramadi, which is the capital of the western province of Anbar and about 110 kilometers west of Baghdad. Ramadi was liberated later in December 2015.

On June 18 this year, Iraqi forces launched another attack to retake the southern parts of Mosul, one day after they liberated Fallujah.

By Tasnim News Agency