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IS militants lacking purpose, motivation and direction in Mosul: US military official

 IS militants lacking purpose, motivation and direction in Mosul: US military official

Islamic State’s members.

Islamic State’s members.
(BasNews) Islamic State (IS) fighters are continually being weakened by the approaching Iraqi forces coupled with the US-led the international coalition’s aerial and armament support. They are losing their ground, said a US military official.

“They’re lacking purpose motivation and direction,” Army Major General, Joseph Martin, told USA Today.

“I’ve never seen them so disorganized,” he added.

“You’re watching ISIS be annihilated,” Martin said, using another acronym for the IS.

Though the military operation in western Mosul was expected to be more difficult and intense, Iraqi forces were able to overcome numerous barriers, such as blockades and roadside explosives that the IS militants had placed throughout the city to slow their advance.

“They’re taking longer to react to initiatives on the battlefield,” Martin said, referring to IS militants.

According to the Pentagon, currently there are about 2,000 IS militants in the city, out of between 3,000 to 5,000 that were there when the operation began last October.

Also this week, it was announced that IS militants were surrounded, with the last road out of the city, as well as the Iron bridge connecting the east to the west having been recaptured by the Iraqi forces.

“Their morale has to be pretty low,” Martin said.

The eastern half of Mosul was declared liberated on January 24. The operation moved on to the western half on February 19. Earlier it was announced that about a third of western Mosul was recaptured from IS militants.

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