Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki announced a major offensive against Al-Qaeda on Friday.
"We have formed an operations centre in Nineveh (province) for a final war against Al-Qaeda and the remnants of the former (Saddam Hussein)regime," Maliki said.
"Today our forces are moving towards Mosul. What we have planned in Nineveh will be final. It will be a decisive battle," he said.
