A long-awaited offensive to retake and liberate the ISIS-occupied city of Mosul began Monday by Iraqi and Kurdish forces and could be the beginning of the end of ISIS.
Mosul, which was seized by ISIS in June 2014, is the last remaining stronghold of the terrorist group and a vital part of its self-declared caliphate, or Islamic State, that spans the borders of Iraq and Syria. When it was seized more than 2 million people resided in Mosul. After two years, only about 1 million residents remain in the city.
The offensive, which was announced in a televised statement Monday by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, aims to retake Mosul and free its remaining citizens from tyranny. Much of the United States’ military presence in Iraq in the last two years has been focused on training Iraq’s security forces for the campaign. The battle could last weeks or months, but if successful, the Mosul liberation would be pivotal in the fight against ISIS.
One day into the attack, Iraqi forces cleared nine villages and extended control over a key road.
“One of the biggest things is the fact that this is the largest populated area controlled by Islamic State, so taking that back is a big deal and a very important objective,” said Danny Davis, senior lecturer at the Bush School who specializes in counterterrorism. “I think the other part of it is the Peshmerga is fighting with the Iraqi forces, which is another big deal — the fact that those two are working together.”