Battle for Mosul: 'We are under direct fire from Islamic State'
Mortar and small-arms fire are launched in Stuart Ramsay's direction, with coalition jets lining up airstrikes overhead.
Monday 17 October 2016 18:12, UK
Sky's Stuart Ramsay - embedded with Kurdish Peshmerga forces on their way to Mosul - says they have been coming under "direct fire" from Islamic State.
On the front line, around 14 miles outside Mosul, he described "a very confusing battlefield" with "fighting taking place absolutely all around me" as he joined forces spearheading the first push to the east of the city.
"We're being fairly constantly mortared and under small-arms fire and machine gun fire of all descriptions for the last hour or so as we've been driving along," he said, speaking from near a town called Bartella.
"We are pretty much at the centre of what has turned into a very nasty battle.
"There are two villages in front of me, and a village behind. They both have Islamic State fighters dug in and there is a very intense battle taking place.
"It has taken since before dawn to get here and it really isn't very far - a few miles that we've travelled. So it just shows how intense this is.
"There are concerns about IEDs. Mines, generally. And as I say we were under indirect fire for a very long time and direct fire.
"Some of the smaller villages have been taken over by the Peshmerga and they leave their forces as they go through them, they're already finding tunnels - something that we've seen with IS in the past.
"The Peshmerga have withdrawn from one of the villages because they believe there is an armoured vehicle which is a suicide bomb - and they are bringing in air power to attack that.
"There is burning oil everywhere that is cover for Islamic State as they try to move around.
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![Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters fire a multiple rocket launcher from the top of Mount Zardak]()
Image: Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters fire a multiple rocket launcher from the top of Mount Zardak -
![A picture taken from the top of Mount Zardak]()
Image: Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has announced that the long-awaited operation to recapture the city from Islamic State is under way -
![Iraqi forces deploy in the area of al-Shourah, some 45 kms south of Mosul, as they advance towards the city]()
Image: Iraqi forces deploy in the area of al Shourah, some 45km south of Mosul, as they advance towards the city -
![Peshmerga forces advance in the east of Mosul to attack Islamic State militants]()
Image: Peshmerga forces advance in the east of Mosul to attack Islamic State militants -
![Iraqi forces deploy in the area of al-Shourah, some 45 kms south of Mosul, as they advance towards the city]()
Image: Iraqi forces advance towards Mosul -
![Iraqi forces deploy in the area of al-Shourah]()
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![Iraqi forces deploy in the area of al-Shourah, some 45 kms south of Mosul, as they advance towards the city]()
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![Iraqi forces deploy in the area of al-Shourah, some 45 kms south of Mosul, as they advance towards the city]()
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![Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters hold a position on the top of Mount Zardak, about 25 kilometres east of Mosul]()
Image: Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters hold a position on the top of Mount Zardak, about 25km east of Mosul -
![Peshmerga forces advance in the east of Mosul to attack Islamic State militants]()
Image: Peshmerga forces advance east of Mosul -
![Battle for Mosul]()
Image: Iraqi rocket batteries open fire on IS positions -
![Iraqi policemen clean a weapon at the Qayyarah military base]()
Image: Iraqi security forces clean a weapon at the Qayyarah military base -
![Iraqi commanders discuss the assault on Mosul]()
Image: Iraqi commanders discuss the assault on Mosul. Continue through for more pictures -
![Iraqi forces deploy in the area of al-Shourah, some 45 kms south of Mosul, as they advance towards the city]()
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![Iraqi forces deploy in the area of al-Shourah, some 45 kms south of Mosul, as they advance towards the city]()
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![An Iraqi policeman tries on a gasmask at the Qayyarah military base, about 60 kilometres (35 miles) south of Mosul]()
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![Battle against IS for Mosul]()
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![Smoke billows in the background as Iraqi forces gather at the Qayyarah military base]()
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![The battle for Mosul begins]()
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![The battle for Mosul begins]()
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![Kurdish forces prepare to launch their assault against IS in Mosul]()
"I can hear the jets in the air - they're bringing in airstrikes because there's a lot of opposition.
"It is a very confusing battlefield."
He added: "It's been a pretty intense day so far. A lot of fighting. But the Peshmerga say they are making progress"
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi announced the launch of the offensive at midnight, telling his people "the time of victory has come".
Up to 40,000 ground troops, including Iraqi special forces, the regular Iraqi Army, Sunni militia, Kurdish Peshmerga and Shia militia are being supported by US-led coalition airstrikes, with snipers sent in first to fight the jihadis street-by-street.
The assault has been in the planning for months.
An intensive intelligence-gathering operation inside the city has been putting together a package of targets for coalition warplanes. The city's density means the risk of civilian casualties is high.
The United Nations has expressed grave concern for the welfare of the million-plus civilians trapped in the city.