they have been during the push to try to get this city back from isis control. couple days ago their convoy was leading the operation when it came under heavy fire. this was incredibly dangerous. at a time they didn t think they were going to make it through. this is a story you will only see on cnn. reporter: after three weeks of this offensive the iraqi military is at last about to enter month sewell. the men of the elite forces are in high spirits but after the open plains of northern iraq they were about to meet a terrible new reality. this not a place these sourlds know but their enemy does.
which is now under isis control. meantime, u.s.-backed militia groups announcing plans to push out the terror group by shutting down the so-called back door escape out the city. this as the fight against isis rages on in iraq as forces try to liberate mosul. earlier today, kurdish forces reclaimed a town near the city. cnn s arwa damon has been reporting from the front lines. over the weekend she was trapped in the middle of a fierce gun battle with isis. what you are about to see is the war with isis first-hand like you have never seen it before. i have to warn you some of the images you are about to see are graphic. here s arwa damon s exclusive report. reporter: after three weeks of this advance of the iraqi military, it s at last about to enter mosul. the men of the elite counter terrorism force are in high spirits. but after the open plains of northern iraq they are about to meet a terrible new reality.
leaders of the coalition to defeat isis met in france. ash carter saying he s encouraged by the fight for the iraqi city still under isis control. look at the map with me. the push to retake mosul has moved more quickly than expected, but isis is not letting go without a fight, far outnumbered the terror group is setting trap, laying ieds, setting fire to oil fields, igniting a sulfur facility, sending a toxic cloud into the sky and hundreds of people to the hospital, our senior international correspondent arwa damon went to the poison zone. it could almost be waves rippling against a shoreline on another planet. neon streams catching the light. but this hauntingly beautiful scenery is toxic.
unfavorable view of donald trump and that should be very concerning to the republican party, because it s possible that donald trump will turn off asian american voters even more. reporter: the survey found that 59% favor clinton and just 16% favor trump. but there is opportunity for each party here. for these two voters, the choice is less about who they want to be the next president but more about who they don t. are you a trump supporter? i am a trump supporter. reporter: tell me why. because i cannot be for hillary. reporter: are you excited to vote for hillary clinton? i wouldn t necessarily say excited. just i m excited not to vote for trump. reporter: victor blackwell, cnn, jacksonville, florida. still ahead in the newsroom the march toward mosul continues. five more villages taken back from isis control. but tragedy hit one village when civilians celebrate too soon.
are trying to free the city from isis control. this weekend defense secretary ash carter flew to iraq to assess the battle. nothing that i take more seriously than putting americans in arm s way. make no mistake whether they re flying airplanes overhead or advising units on the ground, even behind the front lines, they are at risk. it s also important that everybody understands that we must do this. let s bring in cnn pentagon correspondent barbara starr and cnn international anchor and correspondent michael holmes who is near mosul. michael, let me start with you. what is the situation in and around mosul this morning? yeah, as you know, alisyn, the iraqis and the kurdish peshmerga are trying to encircle mosul before they can think about going in. you mention how close they are the most forward position is