Iraqi forces find Daesh tunnels near Mosul

Iraqi troops discovered tunnels built by Daesh terrorists after driving the terrorists from the Khurbadan village, 60 kilometers from the group's stronghold of Mosul.

Middle East Eye revealed dozens of rooms carved out of the sandy rock to depths of nine meters, hospital quarters with medical supplies, sleeping areas full of mattresses and pillows and prayer rooms stocked with Qurans.

"This is trench warfare," said Firas al-Naser, a commander in the Iraqi army, likening the recent battle to the attrition of the First World War.

"The fighters hide like rats, and the tunnel network becomes a city within a city. There is everything: weapons, beds, prayer rooms, rooms to prepare explosive devices."

"Entire areas of the network were used as depots. This is where they kept hidden explosives,” said Naser. "They hid here from the bombs, and the tunnels became escape routes in case of danger."

Daesh pressed villagers into the dangerous job of digging, according to Naser.

Such complex networks have not been discovered since Daesh was kicked out of the Yazidi city of Sinjar, where more than 70 tunnels were found.

"One of the problems is that these tunnels - just like in Sinjar - have undermined the soil and often destroyed part of the infrastructure of the cities and villages," Naser said.