In Iraq, army and security forces, backed by air and ground support from the U.S.led coalition have advanced towards Mosul from the south and southeast. In a statement, army today said, it took the village of Ali Rash in southeast of Mosul, and raised the Iraqi flag.<br/><br/> It said the forces are heading towards Hammam al-Alil, the last major town before Mosul. The army and security forces including Kurdish peshmerga fighters and Shi'a militias have launched an operation to encircle Mosul and cut off Islamic State fighters. Around 1.5 million people are still living in Mosul, and the United Nations has warned of a humanitarian crisis and possible refugee exodus as the fighting closes in on the city.