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Standing between the combined forces of Iraqi troops and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters in the Nineveh desert and the thousands of Islamic State group militants holed up in the city of Mosul is the town of Qaraqosh.

The small town is surrounded. Iraqi special forces - "The Golden Division" - has just arrived. It will be the next domino to fall on the march to Mosul.

Travelling here, we have seen hundreds of troops making their way to the front lines. After months of military planning and political posturing, these troops know the battle has begun.

Peshmerga fighters have been hailed in the fight against the Islamic State group, and are playing a leading role in the Mosul fight [Gareth Browne]

Columns of armoured vehicles are traversing the rivers through the desert [Gareth Browne]

Temporary operating bases are established to provide cover for the troops on the move [Gareth Browne]

As many as 100,000 troops may be involved in the multi-pronged attack on the city [Gareth Browne]

Fighters relax on a brief stop along the road [Gareth Browne]

Villagers have begun returning to what is left of their homes after two years of IS occupation and two days of airstrikes [Gareth Browne]

Gareth Browne is reporting from the front lines of the fight against the Islamic State group, just outside Mosul. Follow him on Twitter: