Some 100,000 Iraqi government troops, Kurdish security forces and mainly Shi'ite militiamen are participating in the assault on Mosul that began on Oct. 17, with air and ground support from a U.S.-led coalition. The capture of Mosul, the largest city under control of Islamic State, is seen as crucial toward dismantling the caliphate which the militants declared over parts of the Iraq and Syria in 2014. "Obviously there (are) always weather issues ... the Iraqi security forces are prepared for any eventuality there," Carter said. Carter did not say how the recapture could be completed before Jan. 20 in the face of resistance from Islamic State. In a separate speech in California on Saturday, Carter left the door open for U.S. and coalition forces to stay in Iraq after Islamic State had been removed.

Source: Egypt Independent December 05, 2016 08:11 UTC