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U.S. military officers say that Canadian special forces are on the frontlines of a new offensive in Iraq to retake villages from the Islamic State east of Mosul.

The coalition troops were spotted with Kurdish forces as they prepared for battle on Sunday.

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As many as 5,500 Kurdish troops are attempting to seize villages located about 20 km east of Mosul. Heavy fighting was reported Sunday.

Soldiers with the Canadian Special Operations Regiment from CFB Petawawa in the Ottawa Valley are in northern Iraq to train and advise the Kurds.

A Reuters news agency correspondent saw coalition soldiers loading armored vehicles outside the village Hassan Shami, a few kilometres east of the frontline of the ongoing offensive. The soldiers spoke English and some had Maple Leaf insignia on their uniforms.

U.S. Army Colonel Steve Warren, who speaks for the coalition, confirmed that “U.S. and coalition forces are conducting advise and assist operations to help Kurdish Peshmerga forces”.