American General: The Remaining Number of ISIS Fighters Reaches 15,000

General Sean McFarland, commander of the Third Army Division of the United States, which leads the coalition operations against the 'Islamic State,' states that the remaining number of fighters for this group in Iraq and Syria is approximately 15,000, and '45,000 of them are no longer among the militants.' The estimate provided by General McFarland is lower than previous estimates that had placed the number of ISIS militants in Iraq and Syria between 19,000 and 25,000. American officials now estimate a figure between 15,000 and 20,000 actively or currently alive on the front lines. The commander of the Third Army Division has also stated that both the number of fighters and the operational quality of this group have decreased. Sean McFarland, during a press conference at the U.S. Department of Defense on August 10, said, 'Now, it is easier than a year ago to access some areas, and the enemy (in these areas) is not engaging in much fighting.' According to this senior U.S. military official, the group known as the 'Syrian Democratic Forces,' an alliance of Kurds and Arabs in that country supported by the United States, will be able to take full control of the city of Manbij on the Turkish border within a few weeks. The battles for the capture of this city and cutting off the line of communication for ISIS militants with the Turkish border have been ongoing for weeks with coalition air support. Recent reports indicate that the operation to drive extremists out of this city has reached its final stage. McFarland has also commented on the operation to liberate Mosul in Iraq, stating that the armed forces of that country are on standby for an attack, but the United States has not yet completed the necessary preparations at the Qayyarah airbase in the north of the country. Last month, the U.S. Secretary of Defense stated that to assist in the reconstruction of this airbase, the U.S. would send 560 of its troops to the area. Qayyarah is expected to be used as one of the main centers in the operation to liberate Mosul. American officials, including Barack Obama, the President of the United States, have emphasized in recent months that ISIS's power in Iraq and Syria has significantly decreased. However, the President of the United States has warned that they are still capable of conducting sporadic operations and continuing to instill fear among the people. Criticism from Republicans on coalition analyses Despite the statements of government and sometimes military officials in the U.S., Republican opponents of the government have recently criticized reports regarding successes and advances against the 'Islamic State.' Fox News reports that a report prepared by a group of Republican representatives claims that the U.S. Department of Defense has 'manipulated' analyses related to the battles to present the campaign against ISIS as 'more successful in the eyes of public opinion.' These investigations relate to reports and analyses from the 'Central Command' (the operational command of the U.S. military in the West and Central Asia and North Africa) that tracked the rise of ISIS in 2014-2015. According to those conducting the investigations, this command of the U.S. military has not acted correctly in providing a realistic picture of events in the region. Critics say the coalition has published reports on the successes of U.S. operations in the region that appear better than assessments from other security agencies, and senior officials have relied more on them. According to Fox News, the Pentagon is investigating the report provided. The department has not yet reacted officially to this report, but Patrick Evans, its spokesperson, said that experts do not always agree with analyses based on existing estimates and data, and the Department of Defense always welcomes effective discussions and debates on this matter.