Militiamen launched an operation in the Baaj and Qayrawan area, which is about 60 miles west of Mosul.
Civilians in Mosul say that the Islamic State militants are welding their doors shut and booby-trapping possible exits, so that residents must remain in the city and be used as human shields.
At least 44 were killed and seven were wounded in recent violence:
A car bomb killed two people and wounded four in Baghdad.
Mortars fell on Shirqat, killing a married couple and two of their children.
In Baquba, a bomb killed a police officer and wounded another. A separate bombing killed a civilian. Several more bombings were reported in the province.
In Mosul, security forces retook Islah al-Zeraie district, where they killed a militant official and his assistant. Three suicide bombers where killed in the Old City. Dozens of militants were killed in Ektisanen district.
Security forces killed 27 militants in Qayrawan.
Six militants were killed in Umm al-Shababit.
