Factbox: Once-tolerant Mosul site of Iraq push against Islamic State

[WorldNews]

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has announced the start of an offensive aimed at retaking the city of Mosul from Islamic State militants, who have stamped out its rich mix of ethnic and religious cultures. The fight is expected to be the biggest battle in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion which toppled Saddam Hussein. Here are some facts about Mosul, which had a population of about 2 million before the Sunni militants seized it in 2014.

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