General Votel: As Iraqi Forces Advance in Mosul, ISIS's Brutal Actions Will Increase

The commander of the U.S. Army in the Middle East Operations Center has suggested that as pressure from Iraqi security forces increases and they enter Mosul, Islamic State militants will likely engage in more "brutal actions." General Votel also stated that the liberation of Mosul will not end ISIS's presence. General Joseph Votel, commander of Central Command, oversees operations including those in West Asia. In an interview with NBC News on October 28, he mentioned that militants from the so-called Islamic State group will either flee or "unfortunately, their violence against the people in the areas they control will likely increase." According to this senior U.S. military commander, some of this violence and what he calls "brutal actions" will likely be seen soon. Iraqi officials reported that the Islamic State group has executed "dozens of people." A member of the administrative council of Nineveh province, where Mosul is located, stated that militants took several former army and police members and their families to the outskirts of the city and shot the men. Joseph Votel told NBC, "ISIS is being brought down, and this will be a hard fall." Votel warned that ending the presence of the "Islamic State" in Mosul does not mean the end of the group: "It is critically important that the battle for Mosul is successfully concluded; however, this does not mean the end of the 'Islamic State' in Iraq." According to the commander of Central Command, ISIS forces will likely move to other areas in Iraq, take on a more traditional form of a terrorist group, and focus on carrying out public terrorist attacks. Joseph Votel stated that the next phase of operations against ISIS is "eliminating their caliphate"; ultimately cooperating with U.S. partners in Iraq and Syria to destroy what remains of the group. The American commander mentioned in part of his interview that the United States preferred the battle to retake Mosul to coincide with the battle to drive ISIS out of Raqqa, the group's main center in Syria, which did not happen. He referred to Turkey's operations along the northern Syrian borders and the "concerns" raised among Syrian Democratic Forces. The People's Protection Units, meaning Kurdish militants, who form the main part of the "Democratic Forces" in battles against ISIS, are considered a terrorist group by Turkey and have been targeted by the Turkish army and rebels supported by Ankara. A Turkish journalist mentioned that this is a possible map of Turkey's operations in Syria that has recently been reflected in that country's media. Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, commander of the coalition operations against ISIS, recently stated, "The reality is, the only group that has the capability (to confront ISIS) in the near future is the Syrian Democratic Forces, of which the YPG (People's Protection Units) makes up a significant part." This group is "soon" heading to Raqqa. Following these remarks, the Turkish president stated in a phone call with the U.S. president that he told him that the Turkey-backed militia forces will continue their advances in northern Syria towards Raqqa. NBC reported, citing U.S. Department of Defense officials, that their estimates indicate the presence of two to three thousand ISIS militants inside and around Raqqa. In this context, the commander of U.S. operations in the Middle East visited a key base in the battle for Mosul, and one thousand residents from villages near Mosul were evacuated by special units of the Iraqi army. Erdogan: I told Obama that our supported forces are heading towards Raqqa. The U.S. reported that about 900 ISIS members were killed in the Mosul operations. The operations in Mosul continue; ISIS executed dozens of people.