US: New Operations in Eastern Mosul to Begin in Coming Days

Reuters reported that Colonel Stuart James, the operational commander of the US Army in Mosul, stated that Iraqi forces will begin their new offensive against Islamic State (ISIS) militants within the city in the coming days. In an exclusive interview with Reuters conducted on Sunday evening and reported on Monday, Colonel James also announced that in the new phase of the two-month operation to liberate Mosul, American forces will be deployed to the front lines near the city. According to Reuters, the Mosul operation, involving 100,000 Iraqi forces, Kurdish Peshmerga, and Shiite militias, is considered the largest ground operation in Iraq since the US invasion of the country in 2003. The report indicates that in this new phase of the war in Mosul, American forces will play the most active role since their official withdrawal from Iraq in 2011. Iraqi special forces have so far captured a quarter of Mosul, but their advance within the city has been slow and difficult. In December, they halted their operations as per a pre-determined schedule. Meanwhile, two weeks ago, following heavy casualties inflicted on Iraqi forces by an ISIS counterattack, a unit comprising several thousand police forces with heavy equipment was transferred from the southern fronts to eastern Mosul. American advisors, as part of the international coalition forces, which are responsible for airstrikes against ISIS positions and training tens of thousands of Iraqi army personnel, will now closely cooperate with the police force and rapid reaction units of the Ministry of Interior. The American operational commander, who is cooperating with the Iraqi army on the southeastern front of Mosul, told Reuters: 'We are preparing to penetrate deep into the eastern parts of Mosul, and in the coming days, the deployment of personnel and weapons will take place in areas deep within the eastern neighborhoods of Mosul.' In such a situation, American forces will also enter operations within Mosul and will be at greater risk. However, Colonel Stuart James described the level of risk for American forces as 'minimal.' According to the report, three American soldiers have been killed in northern Iraq over the past 15 months. The American commander stated: 'The speed of the next phase of operations on the eastern fronts of Mosul will depend on the resistance of ISIS forces.' He added: 'If we achieve significant success on the first day and take the initiative, the operation may progress very quickly. But if they can resist our assault, the conditions for penetrating the city will not be optimal, and our advance may take longer.' The further integration of American personnel into Iraqi army units, which American commanders say has been unprecedented so far, will help coordinate enemy movements, airstrikes, and troop movements. Colonel Stuart James noted that 'this will aid our understanding of the conditions and the situation on the fronts. Personnel participating in ground operations will understand the conditions better than anyone and will play a crucial role in coordinating operations and troop movements and deployments.' Reuters pointed out that Mosul is the largest city under the control of ISIS forces, and its fall would destroy the group's self-proclaimed 'caliphate.' However, the group's fighters can still continue to engage in guerrilla warfare and plan operations and attacks in western Iraq. Mosul, with a population of about two million, most of whom still reside in the city, has a diverse ethnic and religious composition. The Tigris River divides the city into two parts. The market, old neighborhoods, and narrow streets are located in the western part of the city, which Iraqi forces have yet to enter. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi had stated that Mosul would be liberated by the end of 2016, but now the realization of such a promise seems unlikely. Iraqi army commanders say the reason for their slow advance has been the protection of civilian lives. At the same time, adverse weather conditions have also impacted this operation, which heavily relies on reconnaissance and airstrikes. In this context, more than two thousand ISIS members have been 'killed or severely wounded' in the battle for Mosul.