UK urges for continued momentum against ISIL

At a meeting of defence ministers, Michael Fallon has urged the UK’s Coalition partners to maintain the momentum that is defeating ISIL in Iraq and Syria. Ministers, including Fallon and US Defense Secretary James Mattis, were considering plans for 2017, including the operation to liberate Western Mosul and plans to make the training effort more flexible. The UK’s Defence Secretary recently authorised UK personnel to deliver training at secured and protected locations in Iraq, in addition to the training sites at Taji, Al Asad, Besmayah and Irbil, where personnel are already deployed. Fallon also confirmed that Britain will send a UK military officer to help lead NATO’s newly established training and capacity building mission in Iraq. Fallon said: “Daesh [ISIL] is losing ground, fighters, and funding. Now we need to keep up the pressure on Mosul and Raqqa to deal Daesh a decisive blow. Britain will continue playing its leading role providing vital intelligence, precision airstrikes, and training Iraqi forces where they need it.”