Donald Trump spent much of Wednesday night’s debate in a pique of incoherent criticism over America’s response to ISIS and the rest of the Middle East mess left behind by a previous administration. Half a world away, men and women are risking their lives and limbs trying to straighten out and clean up some of the worst parts of that mess, with thousands more innocent lives hanging in the balance.
Iraqi and coalition troops pushed through communities on the outskirts of Mosul this week, threading their way carefully past IEDs, suicide bombers, and snipers, in another day of heavy fighting against the Islamic State. There are reports that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is in the beleaguered city. If so, he is in real trouble as Mosul is now surrounded in a tightening noose, and there are unconfirmed claims that some of his own forces may be turning against him:
The Iraqi news outlet stated that the Commander of ISIS Islamic Police, Abu Othman, staged a coup attempt and attacked four headquarters of ISIS in Mosul. In response, ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi summoned the so-called al-Assra army to suppress the coup and kill seven leaders of ISIS Islamic Police who were allegedly involved.
Mosul was taken by ISIS in 2014, and the Caliphate was announced from the city’s historic Grand Mosque shortly after it fell into militant hands. Iraqi forces backed up with allied air power and special forces have been systematically retaking ISIS-controlled territory in northern and western Iraq ever since. Mosul is by far the largest city held by ISIS and its recapture is seen by many analysts as a death blow against the group’s violent ambitions.
Reports are that al-Baghdadi and other high ranking members are trapped inside and urging a fight to the death:
The terror cult's founder is believed to be holed up with ISIS bomb maker Fawzi Ali Nouimeh – leading the fears the twisted jihadis are prepared to fight to the bitter death to impress their self-proclaimed caliph. Initial reports suggest the death cult has dug a series of complex tunnels and laid out booby traps to ensure maximum casualties when Iraqi and Peshmerga forces attempt to reclaim the city.