Has the countdown started for Daesh?

Iraqi troops have regained control of almost half of the country's territory, captured by Daesh militants, the head of the Information Center of the Government of Iraq, Saad al-Hadithi, said.

"Since the summer of 2014 our troops have liberated 48% of the territories under Daesh control," TASS cited him as saying.

Al-Hadithi especially noted the victory of the government forces in the city of Ramadi, which was officially liberated on Monday. "The liberation of the city of Ramadi is a strategic victory to accelerate the liberation of other Iraqi territories," the head of the information center said.

In this regard, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said that "2016 is going to be the year of a major victory over Daesh."

The editor-in-chief of 'National Defense' magazine, Igor Korotchenko, told a correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza that it is a bit premature to talk about a turning point. "But in any case, the Iraqi government really pays a lot of attention to the fight against Daesh. However, in my opinion, a change to a certain extent was only in Syria, thanks to the success of the Russian aviation. There is real progress, a turning point. The situation in Iraq is still permanently challenging," he said.

Speaking about the prospects of victory over Daesh next year, the expert noted that "it would be great if this prediction came true, but I think that given the fact that the US and its coalition allies are fighting inefficiently, we can remain witnessing that this prediction will not come true."

The editor-in-chief of 'Military-Industrial Courier' and the magazine 'Aerospace Defense', Michael Khodarenok, in his turn, assesses the recent progress of the fighters against Daesh more reservedly. "You know, we must always be extremely careful with forecasts about the armed struggle and never anticipate events. How can we assess the position of the USSR in mid-October 1941? Perhaps it was disastrous. Or in mid-July 1942, when nothing was clear yet," he explained.

"Therefore, the success of the Iraqi armed forces and partly of the Syrian forces should be considered at this stage as a success of only a tactical nature. And we cannot say that they have grown into an operational, strategic character, as different twists are still possible. The point has not yet been set, so everything is possible. Of course, their successes are encouraging, but at this stage I wouldn't be brave enough to say that the enemy is running, because there are so many players on the Middle Eastern chessboard, and not everyone has already made a move," a military expert added.

With regard to a possible victory in the next year, "we hope that it will happen." "But again, as I said, all the forecasts must be treated with caution. Let us hope that it will happen. But nevertheless I would, for example, abstain from such statements," Michael Khodarenok summed up.