Iraq to launch ground offensive against ISIS
Iraqi troops will begin a ground offensive “in the weeks ahead” to take back swathes of the country seized by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group, the U.S. coordinator for the international coalition against the militants said on Sunday. “There will be a major counter offensive on the ground in Iraq,” top U.S. […]Iraqi troops will begin a ground offensive “in the weeks ahead” to take back swathes of the country seized by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group, the U.S. coordinator for the international coalition against the militants said on Sunday. “There will be a major counter offensive on the ground in Iraq,” top U.S. envoy John Allen said in an interview with Jordan’s official Petra news agency.
“In the weeks ahead, when the Iraqi forces begin the ground campaign to take back Iraq, the coalition will provide major firepower associated with that,” he added, stressing that the Iraqis would lead the offensive. Allen dismissed accusations that there has been a delay in the supply of U.S. weapons and training to Iraqi troops on the frontline of the conflict, telling Petra: “The United States is doing all it can to deliver its support as quickly as possible.”
