They believe that while foreign jihadists will fight to the finish to protect their last stronghold in Iraq, the Iraqi fighters, many from Mosul itself, may lay down their arms. Once inside Mosul, Iraqi special forces would have to go from street to street to clear explosives and booby traps set up by Islamic State. Islamic State, Iraqi commanders say, has succeeded in the past in blocking army troops from moving against it by staging suicide attacks and rigging explosives. The Mosul offensive will be the most important battle fought in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. “Mosul will not be the end of Islamic State or the end of extremism in this region.

Source: Sunday Times October 24, 2016 10:30 UTC