Black Smoke Rising Over Mosul As Battles Continue

Black smoke was seen rising over Mosul city on Friday (June 30), as Iraqi forces continued their battle to take control of the city.

   Iraqi forces on Thursday (June 29) captured the wrecked historic mosque of Mosul in which Islamic State proclaimed its self-styled “caliphate” three years ago, an Iraqi military statement said.

Taking the Grand al-Nuri Mosque hands a symbolic victory to the Iraqi forces which have been battling for more than eight months to capture Mosul, the northern city that served as Islamic State’s de facto