By Ahmed Qassim and Ibrahim Salih

NINEVEH, Iraq

Five Iraqi soldiers were killed Saturday in deadly clashes with Daesh militants in Mosul amid a major offensive to capture the northern city from the terrorist group.

“Our forces are engaged in street battles with Daesh militants in areas close to the Mosul airport,” Army Major Wissam Aboud told Anadolu Agency.

He said more than 22 soldiers and scores of Daesh militants were injured in the battles.

Last week, the Iraqi army launched a major operation to capture western Mosul, Daesh’s last stronghold in the northern city.

On Friday, Iraqi forces reportedly captured the Mosul airport, which Baghdad seeks to convert into a close-support base for their ongoing anti-Daesh offensive in western Mosul.

The Iraqi forces also wrestled control of the Al-Ghazlani Camp, considered Daesh’s largest military camp in Mosul, which the terrorist group overran -- along vast swathes of territory in northern and western Iraq -- in 2014.