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YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS. At least 100 commanders of “Islamic State” terrorist group have left the Iraqi city of Mosul and headed for Syria amid the Iraqi forces' offensive, Sputnik News reported.
According toAl Mayadeen channel, the group ofIS commanders moved tothe Syrian border, asthe Iraqi air forces continue tomonitor the area tothe west ofMosul.
The start ofthe military operation toretake Mosul fromIS, which seized it inJune 2014, was announced byIraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi onOctober 17.
According tolocal media, about30,000 Iraqi soldiers and 4,000 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters are taking part inthe operation. They are backed bythe US-led international coalition's airstrikes. Saad Hadithi, Abadi's spokesman, said onWednesday that the operation was progressing faster thanexpected.