The Pentagon has confirmed U.S. special forces are on the ground in Iraq and taking part in the battle to retake Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, which fell to ISIS two years ago. Despite President Obama’s pledge against having boots on the ground, the Pentagon said U.S. special forces are on the front lines and finding targets for U.S. airstrikes. The offensive to take Mosul is expected to take weeks, if not months. Iraqi forces reportedly captured 20 ISIS-held villages on Monday. Aid groups fear the fighting will force over a million residents of Mosul to flee. Courtney Lare works with the Norwegian Refugee Council in the Iraqi city of Erbil.

Courtney Lare: ”NRC is currently preparing for massive waves of displacement coming out of Mosul. We are expecting in the first several weeks up to 200,000 individuals and, total, around 700,000 people fleeing Mosul in the coming months. The humanitarian community is desperately trying to prepare, but this many people at once is extremely challenging.”