IRAQI forces advanced closer to the Islamic State (Isis) stronghold city of Mosul yesterday — and to a base held by Turkish troops against Baghdad’s will.

The peshmerga forces of the Turkey-friendly Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) said they had “cordoned off” eight villages north-east of Mosul and were less than five-and-a-half miles from its outskirts.

Meanwhile the army surrounded the nearby town of Bashiqa, close to the Turkish military base.

On Friday US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter claimed he had an “agreement in principle” for Turkey to participate in the operation against Isis, which it is accused of aiding.

But Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told Mr Carter on Saturday that Mosul was an “Iraqi battle.”

The Pentagon chief was in KRG capital Irbil yesterday for talks with leaders.Meanwhile Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim claimed his forces in Bashiqa had provided artillery support against Isis at the request of the peshmerga.

And Isis attacked the western town of Rutba in an apparent diversionary gambit similar to its assault on the north-eastern city of Kirkuk last week.

On Saturday an air strike hit a funeral procession in Daquq, south of Kirkuk, killing 17 people and injuring 50.

The Russian Defence Ministry blamed the US-led coalition for the attack, saying it had “all the signs of a war crime.”

The coalition said: “We cannot associate the alleged civilian casualties with any coalition strikes in the area.”