Pro-government forces are intensifying air and ground operations in and around Mosul, causing fighters from the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) to adopt new tactics in anticipation of an offensive to dislodge them from Iraq’s second-largest city.On Thursday, Iraqi ground forces, backed by coalition air support, retook about six villages west of Makhmour – between Erbil and Mosul – from which IS militants had staged rocket attacks, including one that killed a U.S. marine on March 19. The … This content is for registered users. Please login to continue. If you are not a registered user, you may purchase a subscription or sign up for a free trial . […]