Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has called on the Islamic State (IS) extremist group to surrender in Mosul as Iraqi forces have penetrated the city limits for the first time.
Abadi, wearing combat fatigues as he appeared on Iraqi television October 31, made the surrender demand while visiting the Qayyara military airbase south of Mosul.
"God willing, we will chop off the snake's head," Abadi said. "They have no escape, they either die or surrender".
He spoke as Iraqi forces broke through IS defense lines in an eastern suburb of Mosul.
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The Iraqi forces made the gain after two weeks of fighting to clear surrounding areas of insurgents.
Commanders had warned earlier that the battle for the city -- the de facto capital of the IS in Iraq -- could take weeks and possibly months.
A huge offensive to retake Mosul, which was seized by the extremist group in 2014, began two weeks ago.
