Iraqi forces say 20 villages fall in first day of battle for Mosul

Smoke rises from clashes in the east of Mosul during clashes with Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq

ASIA: Armed forces closing in on Mosul said on Tuesday they had secured some 20 villages on the outskirts of the city in the first 24 hours of an operation to retake what is Islamic State's last major stronghold in Iraq.

With air support from a U.S.-led coalition, government and Kurdish forces edged closer to the city as smoke darkened the blue sky above one IS position, apparently from oil fires ignited to hamper the incursion and make it harder to land air strikes.