“Now, more than two years after ISIS seized Iraq’s second-largest city, the advancing soldiers said they were eager for the chance to help take it back. ‘It feels good. We’re hoping it’s the end of them.'” The much-anticipated (and critical) battle to retake Mosul from ISIS is officially underway.

+ “If the Islamic State’s capture of Mosul marked the high point of the group’s expansion, its expulsion would mark a major setback for a group that’s steadily been losing territory in Iraq and Syria.” From NPR: The Battle For Mosul: 5 Key Things To Know.

+ “As Iraqi and coalition forces invade Mosul, the last ISIS stronghold in Iraq, the grim details of the extremist group’s rule come to light.” NatGeo: Surviving the Fall of ISIS.