General James Terry, commander of the US anti-terrorist operation and its allies "unwavering commitment" (Inherent Resolve), directed against the terrorist group Islamic State (IS), said that the turning point in the fight against IS will be made in at least three years.
"The first US Air Force air strikes were inflicted only four months ago, and I estimate that we need to be patient and wait for another, at least in not less than three years," TASS quoted Terry.
The anti-terrorist coalition, he said, "has made significant progress in preventing further seizure of territory by IS. "He also said that from 8 August over 1,360 air strikes were made on militant positions.
According to the soldier, "Kurdish soldiers, thanks to the generous support of the international coalition led by the US, fought back more than 100 sq km under the control of IS in Iraq."
"More than 50 air strikes in recent days have allowed the Kurds to return to territory near the town of Sinjar in the north-west of the country near the border with Syria," said Terry. According to him, on Monday more than 60 air raids were made, the aim of 45 of them was to support Kurdish Peshmerga military forces.
Washington has previously declared its plans to equip and train the regular army and Kurdish militias in Iraq to fight not only IS and Sunni tribal groups and their purchasing of machines, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars.
The US military believes that Sunni tribal groups affected by the Islamists will be ready to fight, if they receive the required number of weapons. They can become an effective force, the more that "they will have to fight on its territory and among its own people," the Pentagon is convinced. The Pentagon believes it should be noted that "the Iraqi security forces, formed mainly of Shiites, will not be welcome in Anbar province and other areas inhabited predominantly by Sunnis."
