U.S. plans large-scale operation to take Mosul

A joint Iraqi-Kurdish force of up to 25,000 troops is preparing to retake the city of Mosul from Islamic State fighters in April or May. IS remains a formidable force, but appears to be on the defensive for the first time since sweeping through Iraq and Syria last year
------------------------------------------------------
Kobane: Kurdish forces and three other rebels groups have taken back about 215 villages since securing control of Kobane on January 26

Kurdish forces expected to launch assaults on IS strongholds of Jarablus, Minbij and Tal Abyad

IS support areas

Under Kurdish control

TURKEY

Jarablus

Minbij

Aleppo

Hamah

Homs

LEB.

SYRIA

Damascus

Raqqa: Coalition airstrikes in response to Jordanian pilot’s killing has prompted IS to set up roadblocks to curb desertions

Tal Abyad

Mosul: Held by up to 2,000 IS fighters. Main attack would be launched by five Iraqi army brigades supplemented by three Peshmerga brigades who would contain IS from north and west

Kiske: Iraqi Kurdish forces seized stretch of key highway in January, threatening vital IS supply line 

Mosul

IRAN

Kirkuk

Baiji

Baghdad

Fallujah

Haditha: Recent gains by Iraqi forces putting alternative supply corridor under pressure, further isolating Mosul

Sinjar

IRAQ

Ain al-Asad air base

al-Baghdadi

Deir al Zawr: IS locked in battle with Syrian army near air base – President Assad’s last stronghold in eastern province

60 miles 100km
------------------------------------------------------
Sources: Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Institute for the Study of War

words 258