War in Iraq: Islamic State Collapses As Military Kills ISIS Commander in West Mosul
The Islamic State militant group (ISIS) has suffered major losses in its last Iraqi stronghold of Mosul in recent days as pro-government forces have rapidly advanced against the jihadists. Facing regular suicide vehicle bombings and sniper fire from ISIS' final pockets of control over Iraq's second largest city, Iraqi troops and their allies, which include Kurdish forces, […]Tom O'Connor writes for Newsweek:
The Islamic State militant group (ISIS) has suffered major losses in its last Iraqi stronghold of Mosul in recent days as pro-government forces have rapidly advanced against the jihadists.
Facing regular suicide vehicle bombings and sniper fire from ISIS' final pockets of control over Iraq's second largest city, Iraqi troops and their allies, which include Kurdish forces, Iran-backed Shiite Muslim militias and a U.S.-led coalition, have beat the ultraconservative Sunni Muslim group back to a stretch of western Mosul along the Euphrates river. In the past 24 hours alone, Iraqi forces made lightning gains on a recently opened northwestern front, taking multiple districts such as Al-Islah Al-Zarai and killing local ISIS military commander Abu Ayoub al-Shami, according to local media.
With ISIS' casualties mounting and escape routes to the militants' territory in neighboring Syria narrowing, the group that controlled nearly half of Iraq in 2014 has put up fierce resistance in defending the collapsing lines of the less than seven percent that remains. Despite the jihadists' efforts, U.S. and Iraqi officials have predicted an early victory.
