Iraqi army continues to clear western Mosul of explosives

Iraq's federal police forces said on Sunday that they were still clearing Mosul's Old City area of explosives and searching for any remaining militants.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi announced victory in Mosul about two weeks ago, following a nine-month gruelling battle against Daesh, in their former de facto capital in Iraq.

The decisive military operation backed by US air strikes and other support was launched in October to recapture Iraq's second biggest city from where Daesh's leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi announced the group's self-styled caliphate in 2014.

The urban warfare between government forces and militants has left neighbourhoods in western Mosul flattened and buildings ridden with bullet holes.

With Mosul back in government hands, hundreds of people have been heading back to check their homes in the devastated west side of the city, to salvage belongings or find a place to stay in the east.

But many are hesitant to return for good due to the lack of basic services.

The World Food Programme said thousands of families needed emergency food assistance to survive.

Daesh lose more ground in Syrian stronghold

Syrian regime forces and its allies have recaptured territory from Daesh in the countryside southeast of its stronghold Raqqa after air strikes in the area, war monitors reported.

The advances towards the provincial boundary between Raqqa and Deir Ezzor took place late on Saturday, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The regime forces seized an oil field in the Sabkha area as part of the advance.

The Syrian army has active front lines with Daesh in western Raqqa province and has made recent gains there.