Iraqi special forces gather next to their armoured vehicles in the neighbourhood of al-Barid, east of Mosul, on December 18, 2016 during their ongoing operation against Islamic State (IS) group jihadists to wrest back the city. / AFP / Mahmoud AL-SAMARRAI
BAGHDAD: A prominent Hashd al-Shaabi commander on Sunday acknowledged the difficulties associated with recapturing Mosul from Daesh, saying the operation would take "a long time" given fierce resistance by the terrorist group.
In mid-October, the Iraqi military -- backed by a U.S.-led anti-Daesh air coalition and local allies on the ground -- launched a wide-ranging operation aimed at recapturing Mosul, which was overrun by the terrorist group in mid-2014.
More than two months later, however, the Iraqi army, federal police and anti-terrorism forces remain locked in "fierce fighting" to capture the city, Hadi al-Ameri, leader of the Badr faction (the largest faction of the Hashd al-Shaabi), was quoted as saying Monday by the Hashd al-Shaabi’s official website.
"Many Iraqis are talking as if the battle [for Mosul] will end within days," al-Ameri was quoted as saying.
"But this is wishful thinking," he added. "Judging by the resistance we’ve seen, the battle will likely take a long time."
On Sunday, Daesh militants reportedly carried out several attacks on parts of western Mosul held by the Hashd al-Shaabi, an umbrella of pro-government Shia armed groups.
Captain Jabbar Hasan, a Hashd al-Shaabi officer, told Anadolu Agency that Daesh militants had staged a deadly attack on Hashd al-Shaabi forces stationed in western Mosul’s village of Hammoud Abdul Aziz.
Iraqi officials have vowed to recapture Mosul -- Daesh’s last stronghold in northern Iraq -- by year’s end.
