Unknown protesters have taken down Islamic State (IS) flags from buildings inside Mosul, replacing them with the flags of Kurdistan and Iraq.

Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) official Saed Mamuzini told BasNews, “Today [Friday], people started removing IS flags and flying those of Iraq and Kurdistan instead in around 10 neighborhoods in Mosul.

“Four of the neighborhoods were Na’maniya, Nabi Younis, Rashid and Bab Biz. It’s indicative of the falling popularity of IS in the city,” said Mamuzini.

“The flags were flying for some times, but when IS found, they immediately took them down and executed at least five people in the areas,” added Mamuzini.

The action took place in neighborhoods in the west of the city.

Peshmerga are engaging IS to the north of Mosul, inflicting heavy losses on the insurgents in the Mosul Dam area.