US officials: ISIS advance toward Baghdad thwarted, they will not be able to control the city

(IraqiNews.com) On Wednesday, Reuters quoted unnamed American officials who stated that ISIS’ advance towards Baghdad has been thwarted and that the organization lacks the ability to control the Iraqi capital. These officials also mentioned that it will take several months to restore key areas such as Mosul or Anbar province from ISIS control.

“The progress of ISIS terrorists toward Baghdad was held off and they will not be able to take control of the Iraqi capital,” emphasizing that the campaign against the organization will take time to restore the main areas such as Mosul city or Anbar province in Iraq.

The officials added that “any Iraqi request to send more American military advisers to assist Iraqi security forces in its campaign against ISIS will be studied” although there has been “a lack of specific requests for additional advisers”.

The officials indicated that “any military advisers that are sent will be limited to providing advice and assistance to the Iraqis who are engaged in fighting.”

The United States has already sent about 1,400 military advisers and diplomatic security personnel to Iraq, while the alliance led by the United States has launched dozens of airstrikes in Iraq and Syria in an attempt to hold off the progress of ISIS which set off in Syria and controlled vast areas in Iraq.