Mon Mar 16, 2015 18:54:22
When Iraqi allied forces including sunni Tribesmen, Shiites fighters and Iraqi army almost liberated whole of saladin governorate and ISIS breathing under heavy fire of allied forces, ISIS has released a video showing a new military unit doing commando-style drills in preparation to defend the Iraqi city of Mosul.
The eight-minute video, called “army of hardness,” shows soldiers landing with a rope from bridges, storming buildings and using a variety of weapons.
The release of the video comes amid reports that the US and the Iraqi army are considering a major offensive in Mosul to retake the city from ISIS.
The Northern Iraq offensive began on 5 June 2014, when the ISIS or ISIL aligned forces began a major offensive in northern Iraq against the Iraqi government, following earlier clashes, which began in December 2013.
ISIL and aligned forces captured several cities and other territory, beginning with an attack on Samarra on 5 June followed by the seizure of Mosul on 10 June and Tikrit on 11 June.
A U.S. Central Command official said on February 19 that an Iraqi and Kurdish military force of 20,000 to 25,000 troops is being prepared to recapture Mosul, probably in April or May.
Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi said on February 22 the timing of the Mosul assault was for Iraq to decide, criticizing a U.S. Central Command official who predicted the attack was likely to take place in April or May.
Obeidi said that military commanders should not show their hand to the enemy and that the U.S. official had no knowledge of the issue, stressing the importance of accuracy in planning.
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