(VOVworld) – On Wednesday Iraqi security forces recaptured more areas of Salahudin province from Islamic State militants in operations to expel IS from Mosul.

File photo of Iraqi soldiers firing a rocket toward Islamic State militants on the outskirt of the Makhmour south of Mosul, Iraq, March 25, 2016 (Photo: Reuters)

According to Ahmed al-Kraiym, Head of Salahudin's provincial council, the Iraqi troops advanced in the northern part of Salahudin province and managed to drive IS out of Telol al-Baj village and surrounding areas west of the IS-held town of Shirqat. Kraiym called on the central government and international organizations to provide humanitarian aid to thousands of displaced people in Salahudin.

The operations in the province are part of a major offensive to free areas south of Mosul so as to surround the city from the south and east, before attacking major IS strongholds in Nineveh province, some 400km north of Baghdad.