Iraqi forces are gaining ground in a northern town that they are fighting to retake from terrorists ahead of a push for the city of Mosul, commanders said on Thursday.

Security forces began the operation on Tuesday to oust the so-called 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL) takfiri group from Sharqat, a town near supply lines needed for the battle to retake second city Mosul from the terrorists.

Iraq's Joint Operations Command said forces from the 9th Armoured Division have retaken the local government headquarters in Sharqat, as well as a hospital.

Iraqi forces bypassed Sharqat to retake a key military base to its north as well as the neighbouring town of Qayyarah, but have now turned their attention to the continued ISIL presence behind their front lines.

ISIL overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi forces have since retaken significant ground including the cities of Tikrit, Ramadi and Fallujah.

Source: AFP