Dead ISIS fighters in Mosul. (Photo : Iraqi Army)
Iraq has reported that over 2,000 ISIS militants have been killed by the Iraqi Army, Iraqi joint forces and popular Iraqi militias assisted by U.S. and coalition aircraft since the attack to re-take the ISIS held city of Mosul began on Oct. 17.
Nineveh Operations Commander Najim Abdullah al-Jabouri said among those killed were "senior and elite leaderships in the group. He added that only six kilometers separate us from battles at the eastern coast of Mosul."
Jabouri praised the air cover provided by Iraqi and US-led coalition air forces for destroying ISIS infrastructure and the majority of the group's ammunition caches.
"Apache (attack helicopters) have engaged in battles at the western coast o Nineveh and a number of fighting axes, thanks to their defensive and offensive capabilities and accuracy in detecting targets, especially in guerrilla battles."
Jabouri said ISIS fighters, on the other hand, rely merely on suicide attacks, IEDs and hit and runs to hiding among civilian houses.
"Our sources confirm a collective escape by group elements," he said.
If accurate, the loss of 2,000 men represents 40 percent of the estimated 5,000 ISIS fighters said to be defending Mosul against a massive attacking force consisting of 100,000 allied ground troops. Other estimates place the number of ISIS defenders at 7,000.
Not all of this vast number is engaged in combat inside Mosul, however. Some aren't directly involved in the assault on the city; others are secure positions behind the front lines while still others play supporting roles.
Of this total, 54,000 are members of the Iraqi Security Forces and 40,000 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters. There are also 14,000 members of paramilitary units: 9,000 Sunni fighters and 5,000 from other minorities including Christians, Turkmen and Yazidis.
Shia paramilitaries will not be involved in the assault on Mosul, but will be tasked with securing areas around the city instead.
