ISIS lost over 7,000 fighters in past year, says Australia’s Chief of Joint Operations
The Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral David Johnston.
(IraqiNews.com) – Australia’s Chief of Joint Operations, David Johnston, said that the ISIS has seen around 7,000 of its elements, including leaders, killed over the last 12 months.
Johnston told reporters in Canberra: “ISIS was spending most of its effort trying to hold ground rather than take new areas. Around Ramadi, where Iraqi government offensive operations started in mid-July, ISIS no longer had the same freedom of manoeuvre.”
“What we are seeing is that instead of moving forward or going on the offensive, they are often forced to be defensive and to try and slow down and delay Iraqi forces,” he added.