US expects Daesh to resurface in new shape after its defeat in Mosul

The US ambassador in Baghdad said on Wednesday that Daesh would re-emerge with a new shape after it is defeated in Iraq, Anadolu has reported. Douglas Silliman told journalists at the US embassy that the new Daesh is expected to launch an “unconventional” war.

“After the Mosul battle, there are many areas that will remain controlled by Daesh,” he said, pointing to Hwija in the north of the country, Telafar in the west of Mosul and Al-Qaem in western Iraq. The liberation of these areas, he noted, needs a lot of effort from the Iraqi forces.

These forces have been fighting Daesh in Mosul since October last year. It is the final major stronghold of the terrorist organisation. The eastern part of the city was liberated in January but the fight is ongoing in the other half of Mosul.

Read: Iraqi commander vows to complete capture of Mosul in May

According to a report by Anadolu on Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi expects the battle in Mosul to end within a few days, but he did not give further details.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Silliman noted that the US is contributing in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund to the budgets of 800 projects in Iraq mainly dedicated to schools, hospitals and drinking water. He added that the US is also planning to sell large amounts of rice to Iraq.