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Victory Over Daesh in Ramadi Provides Strategy for Bigger Battle in Mosul

© AP PhotoIraqi soldiers advance their position in northern Ramadi, 70 miles (115 kilometers) west of Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Dec. 21, 2015
Iraqi soldiers advance their position in northern Ramadi, 70 miles (115 kilometers) west of Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Dec. 21, 2015 - Sputnik International
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The upcoming battle to retake Iraq’s second largest city of Mosul from the terror group Daesh will rely on strategy and skills developed in an earlier successful campaign from the smaller city of Ramadi, Commander the Combined Joint Forces Land Component Major General Richard Clarke said on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Mosul has been the de facto capital of the territory controlled by Daesh in Iraq. Its recapture would limit the terror group’s ability to establish centralized civilian government structures as part of its self-proclaimed Caliphate, according to the Defense Department.

“The geography of Ramadi and Mosul are pretty similar,” Clarke told reporters at the US Department of Defense by video link from Iraq. “In terms of the model, the actual isolation and the terrain, you can almost flip Mosul and Ramadi and you will see something very similar.”

An exhumed corpse is carried away from a mass grave in Ramadi, 100 kms west of Baghdad (File) - Sputnik International
Iraqi Forces Find 40 Bodies of Daesh Victims in Ramadi Mass Grave
As in Ramadi, Clarke explained, the battle in Mosul will probably require construction of temporary “pontoon bridges” to cross a river running through the middle of the city.

Daesh terrorists blew up the bridges in Ramadi when retreating from the advancing Iraqi forces who were supported by the US-led coalition’s air support.

In addition, Clarke said Iraqi ground forces were able to retake Ramadi without a significant presence of US forces on the ground.

“The confidence that was built in Ramadi by the Iraqi Security Forces and in the aftermath has been fantastic,” he added. If they do this [retake Mosul] on their own, it will be a longer lasting win.”

Nevertheless, Clarke warned that Mosul is about five times larger than Ramadi so the upcoming battle will be much more difficult.

Mosul has been the de facto capital of the territory controlled by Daesh in Iraq. Its recapture would limit the terror group’s ability to establish centralized civilian government structures as part of its self-proclaimed Caliphate, according to the Defense Department.

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