U.S.-backed Iraqi forces have begun a new push toward Mosul’s city center in an attempt to take positions still held by Islamic State militants. Officials say several villages in west Mosul have been retaken in the latest fighting. Iraqi forces retook the eastern part of Mosul earlier this year after an offensive began on October 17. The latest offensive has caused a new refugee crisis as civilians flee from the embattled areas. VOA’s Zlatica Hoke has more.
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