Mosul Operation; US Defense Secretary Says 'Decisive Moment' Has Arrived

After the Prime Minister of Iraq announced the start of operations to retake Mosul from the 'Islamic State', the US Defense Secretary emphasized that the United States and the coalition it leads will support the Iraqi security forces and Kurdish Peshmerga in the 'hard battle ahead'. Ashton Carter, the US Defense Secretary, stated on October 18 (Iran time) that 'a decisive moment in the campaign aimed at the lasting defeat of ISIS has arrived'. He added, 'I am confident that our Iraqi partners will prevail over our common enemy and will cleanse Mosul and the rest of Iraq of the hatred and violence stemming from ISIS'. According to Mr. Carter, 'the United States and the international coalition are fully prepared to support the Iraqi security forces, the Kurdish Peshmerga, and the people of that country'. Haider al-Abadi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, while addressing a number of senior officers in the country, stated in a televised speech that operations to retake the city of Mosul from the group known as the 'Islamic State' (ISIS) began at dawn on Monday, October 18. Mosul is one of the largest cities in Iraq and the administrative center of Nineveh province in the north of the country. This city was captured by extremist militants during major advances by ISIS in Iraq and Syria two summers ago. Mosul is also referred to as the main center of their presence in Iraq. Prior to the Mosul operation, a major operation in Iraq to push back ISIS was conducted in the city of Fallujah, near the capital. In recent months, the number of US military personnel in Iraq has increased. Some of these individuals have been specifically deployed for the Mosul operation and are present at a base near the city. Meanwhile, coalition airstrikes led by the US against militants have been ongoing for the past two years; the US military announced last week that it has intensified these strikes in Mosul and its surroundings. Last month, the Washington Post estimated the number of US personnel and military forces in Iraq to be around five thousand. The head of the US Central Command in the Middle East stated on July 15 to Reuters that they would likely request more personnel. This statement came after the US Defense Secretary announced the deployment of 560 military personnel to Qayyarah Air Base near Mosul. CNN reported that the Mosul operation could last weeks and possibly months. The Guardian also reported concerns from aid organizations, including the International Red Cross, regarding the number of refugees and displaced persons from the upcoming battles. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has predicted that nearly 700,000 people may be forced to leave their homes in Mosul and its surroundings.