The proposal, a sign of frustration at slow progress in the six-week campaign against Islamic State in Mosul, was ultimately dismissed by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and his generals, military sources told Reuters in interviews. Iraqi commanders say they have killed at least 1,000 Islamic State fighters, as they try to roll back its self-declared caliphate which covers large parts of Iraq and Syria. The Iraqi army makes no secret of the fact that the battle for northern Iraq's largest city is a greater challenge than any it has faced over the last two years. Islamic State responded by executing dozens it accused of collaborating with the army. Hisham al-Hashemi, who advises the government on combating Islamist militancy, told Reuters there were probably 4,000 Islamic State fighters still in Mosul.

Source: Egypt Independent December 02, 2016 14:49 UTC