In a statement issued Tuesday, Col. Abdul Sahib al-Daraji said: "The first and second regiments within [Iraqi army’s] brigade 76 of division 16 arrived in Makhmur district, 25 kilometers [15.5 miles] from the center of Mosul city.

"The regiments will move tomorrow Wednesday towards the eastern axis of Mosul and will be positioned near the Mosul Dam, which is the mobilization point of division 16, charged with carrying out military operations against ISIL from the axis of al-Khazir," al-Daraji said.

“This force is at a high level of military readiness and is supposed to have a significant role in penetrating the first line of defense of ISIL from the eastern axis of the city of Mosul,” he added.

Iraqi armed forces along with the Peshmerga and other combat units were being mobilized on the outskirts of Mosul to regain the city after ISIL captured it in June 2014.