Iraqi security force on Saturday launched a massive offensive against al-Qaida militants in the city of Mosul, capital of the northern province of Nineveh, a provincial security source said.
"Military offensive against al-Qaida militants began on Saturday morning in the city of Mosul," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Hundreds of Iraqi soldiers backed by armored vehicles and U.S. troops have deployed in different areas of Mosul, which has been under strict security measures since late Friday, the source said.
On Friday evening, local authorities declared a curfew in the city, starting from 9:00 p.m. (1800 GMT) until further notice, and all entrances of the city were blocked.
Top Iraqi leaders and security officials have arrived in the city to oversee the operation, the source said without identifying them.
Meanwhile, Al-Sabah official newspaper unveiled that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and Interior Minister Jawad Bolani were expected to arrive in Mosul on Saturday to oversee the operation.
U.S. and Iraqi officials believe that Nineveh province is one of the last strongholds for al-Qaida militants in northern Iraq.
Maliki has repeatedly promised to conduct a "decisive battle" to uproot the Qaida operatives in the province where they were believed to be regrouped after being defeated in Baghdad and other Iraqi provinces.
Source: Xinhua
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