War with Isis: Attempt to recapture Mosul will be an 'Iraqi only mission', says Defence Minister
The city is the largest under the control of insurgents
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Iraq’s defence minister has said only Baghdad will decide the time and scale of any attempt to recapture Mosul, after US officials sent conflicting signals about the offensive.
Mosul is the largest city under the control of Isis insurgents. Its recapture would be a pivotal victory for Baghdad. “The liberation process will be purely Iraqi in terms of forces, timing, weapons and equipment,” Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi told a news conference in Baghdad, alongside visiting Turkish counterpart Ismet Yilmaz.
“No one (else) has anything to do with it. This is our battle, the battle of the Iraqi army,” Mr Obeidi said. “The role of the US-led coalition is to provide air support”
A US Central Command official said two weeks ago that the offensive could start in April or May, using 20,000 to 25,000 troops. US officials have since suggested that timing could slip to the autumn. US Defence Secretary Ash Carter said on Tuesday the original briefing was inaccurate.
Reuters
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments