U.S. soldiers load rounds in their M777 artillery piece in northern Iraq, on Aug. 15, 2016, in support of Iraqi forces in its fight against Islamic State militants and as preparations are made to retake territory under Islamic State control. (Daniel I Johnson/U.S. Army)
U.S. soldiers load rounds in their M777 artillery piece in northern Iraq, on Aug. 15, 2016, in support of Iraqi forces in its fight against Islamic State militants and as preparations are made to retake territory under Islamic State control. (Daniel I Johnson/U.S. Army)
Canadian Brig. Gen. David Anderson, director of the coalition's ministerial liaison team for Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve, left, and British Maj. Gen. Doug Chalmers, the coalition's deputy commander of strategy and sustainment, speak to Iraqi military personnel at Camp Taji, Iraq, on July 28, 2016. On Wednesday, Oct. 5, Anderson said an Iraqi brigade was making a "final reheasal" before undertaking the fight for Mosul. (Daniel Johnson/U.S. Army)
WASHINGTON – The final Iraqi brigade needed to retake Mosul from the Islamic State group will complete training in about two weeks, the coalition general in charge of their preparation said Wednesday.
Canadian Brig. Gen. Dave Anderson, the coalition’s director of training for Operation Inherent Resolve, said 12 Iraqi brigades – each made of 800 to 1,600 troops -- will be used in the upcoming battle for Mosul. Each brigade will have completed U.S.- and coalition-provided training at one of five sites across Iraq.
“It’s the final rehearsal, if you will, before going on stage,” Anderson said of the last Iraqi brigade going through training, noting the last unit is not new to battle. “This is just a tune-up for some specific skills and to top off their equipment before they go.”
The Pentagon has previously said Iraq is planning to launch an operation to retake Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city and the de-facto capital of the Islamic State Group in the country, later this month. An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 Islamic State group fighters remain in Mosul to defend it, Anderson said.
In addition to the training, which has focused on counter-explosives training and conducting building searches and other skills, the Iraqi forces have received 380 Humvees and 60 bulldozers, with upgraded armor.
In previous fights against the Islamic State group, the Iraqi army has used the bulldozers to build berms and dispose of bombs.
The Iraqi forces have also received uniforms, body armor, helmets and tens of thousands of weapons and munitions.
Anderson said the U.S.-funded train and equip program has spent almost $1.6 billion since 2015 rebuilding Iraq’s military.
Iraqi brigade leaders have also worked with U.S. or coalition special forces advisers who will stay with them as they move out, Anderson said.
“Once a team is linked with the brigade, it stays with the brigade,” he said.
Anderson said he is confident enough in the fall of Mosul that his training teams and the Iraq Minister of the Interior have shifted their training priority to developing the police force that will be needed to hold Mosul once the Islamic State group is driven out of the city.
Anderson said a police force of an estimated 30,000 to 45,000 officers will be needed to secure Mosul after the major fighting stops.
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