US commander: Mosul, Raqqa should be retaken in 6 months

Iraqi forces get set to push into western half of Islamic State-held city in coming days

By SUSANNAH GEORGE 8 February 2017, 9:32 pm

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Smoke rises as Iraqi security forces fight against the Islamic State inside Mosul University, in the eastern part of Mosul, Iraq, January 14, 2017. (AP/Khalid Mohammed)

CAMP TAJI, Iraq (AP) — Forces fighting the Islamic State group should be able to retake the IS-held cities of Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria within the next six months, according to the top US commander in Iraq.

On a tour north of Baghdad Wednesday, US Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend said “within the next six months I think we’ll see both (the Mosul and Raqqa campaigns) conclude.”

Townsend, who heads the US-led coalition against IS, said Iraq’s military is still in the process of putting forces into place ahead of the push into western Mosul, but predicted operations would begin “in the next few days.”

Iraqi forces declared Mosul’s east “fully liberated” in January after launching the operation to retake the city in October.