Hawzah News Agency - The Iraqi federal police's rapid response force has completely liberated the Mosul airport from Daesh terrorists, an Iraqi security source told Sputnik.

Earlier in the day, the Iraqi security forces launched a major offensive to clear the airport from the outlawed group.

Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, was captured by Daesh militants in June 2014. Iraqi and US-led coalition forces liberated the eastern part of the city in late January 2017, while its western part remains under terrorists’ control.

On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of the operations to liberate the western part of the city.

The operation to retake Mosul from Daesh began on October 17, 2016.