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Why liberating Mosul won't lead to the end of IS

Due to the wide remote area between Iraq and Syria, retaking Mosul will not mean an end to the Islamic State.
A member of Iraqi Rapid response forces points at an air strike during clashes with Islamic State fighters at a frontline in north west of Mosul, Iraq, May 9, 2017. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui - RTS15T9O

BAGHDAD — Although Islamic State (IS) fighters in western Mosul are cornered within a steadily shrinking area that is expected to be retaken soon, analysts warn that the fight against the group in the country is far from over.

Hisham al-Hashimi, one of Iraq’s most widely respected security and terrorism experts, told Al-Monitor that the transnational terrorist group “has not yet fought at its maximum strength” and has left only a “hindering” force in Mosul, which was previously known as the group’s capital in Iraq.

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