WATCH: Iraqi army confiscates IS' largest tunnel-digging machine

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Iraqi army on Friday confiscated the largest and heaviest machine used by the Islamic State (IS) to build tunnels around Mosul.

The Defense Ministry of Iraq announced they had uncovered a machine used by IS for digging underground tunnels.

The video below, released by the Iraqi Defense Ministry, shows security forces using a special crane to lift the 12-ton machine out of a tunnel.

Underground tunnels have been one of the common military tactics the extremist group uses to fight Iraqi and Peshmerga forces.

IS occupied Mosul in June 2014 and began to control large swaths of territory in northern Iraq. Since then, the group lost most of the areas it once held and continues to shrink.

On Oct. 17, Peshmerga and Iraqi forces launched the military operation of retaking Mosul, IS’ last stronghold in Iraq.

The forces continue to push IS from the north, east, south, and west of Mosul, as the operation is on-going.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany