Iraqi army is planning to launch a major offensive to rid the country's central Saladin province and the second-largest city of Mosul of Islamic State extremists.
MOSCOW, December 16 (Sputnik) The Iraqi military is planning tolaunch a major offensive torid the country's central Saladin province and the second-largest city ofMosul ofIslamic State (IS) and other insurgents, Iran's Press TV reported Tuesday.
The attack will take place inthe next 48 hours, the news outlet stated.
"The tactic now is toliberate one province afteranother," political analyst Jemaa Atwani, said, asquoted byPress TV.
The expert explained that once the army liberates Saladin province, it will move towardMosul, considered one ofIS main strongholds.
"The liberation ofwhat is left fromSaladin, including Tikrit [the capital ofthe province] and some ofthe villages will pave the way towardsthe battle ofMosul," Atwani stated.
Mosul fell intothe hands ofIS insurgents inJune. It is the biggest city controlled bythe jihadist group that established a caliphate overparts ofIraq and Syria. The US-led international coalition's air raids have been targeting extremists inMosul.