Iraqi army enters Bartella village after they defeated the Islamic State militants in Bartella village, about 20 km east of Mosul, northern Iraq on Oct. 22, 2016. The Iraqi army and Kurdish forces began military operations to retake Mosul on Oct. 17, with support of the international community, and have retaken more than 20 villages since then. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Thursday that Iraqi forces were moving faster than expected towards Islamic State's stronghold of Mosul. (Xinhua/Yaser Jawad)