US-led coalition meet in Paris

In Iraq, forces inched to within striking distance of eastern Mosul yesterday as Defence Chiefs from the US-led coalition met in Paris to review the offensive on the Islamic State terror group's bastion.Forces from the elite counter-terrorism service retook areas close to the eastern outskirts of Mosul, the last major urban stronghold of IS in Iraq. 

With the Mosul battle in its second week, French President Francois Hollande called for the coalition



against IS to prepare for the aftermath and the next stages of the war against the group. 

Mr Hollande said, the Paris meeting aims at preparing Mosul's future, and stressed that coalition members must help ensure the city's future authorities represent all ethnic and religious groups so that the long-awaited peace will come.

US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter, also in Paris, said, the coalition was preparing to fight next Raqqa.