THEY said it would be over by Christmas. Now Haider al-Abadi, Iraq’s prime minister, is suggesting that the battle for Mosul could last until Easter. For almost a month his forces had stalled on what was supposed to be the easier eastern bank of Iraq’s second city. And the costs have been gruelling. A fifth of Iraq’s elite force has reportedly fallen in the assault. With the support of more American special forces, Mr Abadi has launched a second phase, taking the city’s industrial zone. Progress is being made. But what Iraqi soldiers clear by day, Islamic State (IS) fighters often regain by night, thanks to a warren of tunnels under the front lines.
Not only are IS fighters holding the line against Iraqi soldiers and their American backers after ten weeks of fighting in Mosul, but they are also fending off Turkish troops 515km (320 miles) to the west, around the town of al-Bab in northern Syria. They have also recaptured Palmyra from the Syrian regime.
Across Iraq the insurgency has a new lease of life. The sickening rhythm of suicide bombs in Shia suburbs of Baghdad and southern Iraq is quickening again. In Anbar and...Continue reading
Source: Middle East and Africa http://ift.tt/2hVfOGa
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