(30 Sep 2017) Iraqi special forces, known as the Counterterrorism Service or CTS, began their push towards the town of Hawija in northern Iraq on Friday.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced on Friday the launch of the "second phase" of the operation to retake Hawija, which is still held by the Islamic State group (IS), 150 miles (240 kilometres) north of Baghdad.
Other forces taking part in the battle include the Iraqi Army, the police and Shiite militias such as the Badr Organisation.
Hawija is one of the last pockets of IS-held territory in Iraq.
The operation to retake it has been complicated by political wrangling amongst Iraq's disparate security forces.
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