Foreign ministers from several Western and Middle Eastern countries met in Paris on Thursday (October 20) to discuss how to restore peace and stability to Mosul after Islamic State has been routed from its Iraqi stronghold.
French President Francois Hollande opened Thursday's talks aimed at coming up with a plan to protect civilians, distribute aid and address questions about governing areas newly liberated from Islamic State (IS). International aid organizations are also taking part in the meeting.
The offensive to seize back Mosul from Islamic State is going faster than planned, Iraq's prime minister said on Thursday, as Iraqi and Kurdish forces launched a new military operation to clear villages around the city.
The battle is expected to be the biggest battle in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. Around 1.5 million people still live in Mosul and the battle is expected to last weeks or months.