TEHRAN, Feb. 19 (MNA) – Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced on Sunday the start of the operation to liberate the western part of the city of Mosul from ISIL terrorists.

The western part of the city, which is Iraq's second largest, has been under the siege for two months, according to the report by AFP.

On Friday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that some 5,000 Iraqis had finished months-long training to join the campaign to liberate Mosul and fight against the terrorists holding the city.

Iraqi and US-led coalition forces liberated the eastern part of the city in January.

Last October, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of the military operation to retake Mosul from ISIL militants. Iraqi troops and their allies, including local Sunni militias and the US-led coalition against ISIL, are involved in the offensive.

The US-led coalition of 68 nations is conducting airstrikes against ISIL in Syria and Iraq.

SPUTNIK/MNA