As Iraqi and Kurdish forces launch a military operation to retake the city of Mosul from the so-called Islamic State (Isis), broadcasters are streaming the battle live on Facebook.
Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, fell to IS in the summer of 2014. Weeks later the head of the extremist group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, announced the formation of a self-styled caliphate from the pulpit of one of its mosques.
Just like any other Facebook lives, users are able to comment or leave an emoticon on the feed.
Some people have been baffled by the notion of live streaming war on social media.
