Alalam - Iraq

Abadi previously said the city would be retaken by the end of this year but commanders say the operation has been slowed by the need to protect civilians who have mostly stayed in their homes rather than fleeing as was expected.

Asked to respond to comments by a commander of the US-led coalition that it would take as long as two years to eliminate ISIS and its cells in Iraq and Syria, Abadi said: "The Americans were very pessimistic and they were talking about very long timescales, but victories achieved by our heroic and brave fighters over ISIS have helped reduce this period in Syria and Iraq to two years.

I believe that in Iraq it might take three months.

" More than two months into the operation, elite Iraqi soldiers have retaken a quarter of Mosul, but entered a planned 'operational refit' this month, Reuters reported.

SA