Mosul airport
In Iraq, academics restock Mosul's barren bookshelves
To track down the books, he has had to travel 400 kilometres south to Baghdad, and even a further 600 kilometres to Basra.
The troop is based at this airfield about 60 kms south of Mosul, as is a rocket battery which fires into west Mosul.
Army engineers plan to rehabilitate the bridge to allow troops to bring in reinforcements and supplies directly from the eastern side.
Federal police and an elite interior ministry unit stormed the airport and engaged in gun battles with Islamic State fighters.