WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- The Islamic State's advances have been "halted" in Iraq, a senior U.S. military commander said Thursday from the Pentagon.
Army Lt. Gen. James L. Terry, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve, spoke optimistically about the progress of operations against IS.
"My assessment is that Daesh has been halted and transitioning to the defense, and is attempting to hold what they currently have," Terry said, referring to IS by its Arabic acronym.
The group has been hobbled by communication difficulties and struggles with resupplying although "they have proven to be resilient."
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The key to defeating IS, he said, "is assisting the government of Iraq in improving their security forces," noting that "they are regaining their confidence and becoming more capable every day."
The Iraqi Security Forces have "retaken many critical areas," such as the Mosul Dam, among others.
Coalition airstrikes this week helped Kurdish Peshmerga forces regain an area close to Sinjar, near the Syrian border.
But Terry predicted it would take at least three years to build up Iraq's military capacities.
The United States is focused on amplifying the efforts of the 45-nation coalition that is part of the effort to degrade and destroy IS, with the understanding that "the strategic advantage and tremendous strength of the coalition will ultimately lead to the defeat of Daesh."
An additional 1,500 U.S. personnel will be deployed in the coming weeks to Iraq to serve in non-combat roles to advise and assist the Iraqi government and security forces. Terry said coalition partners were expected to contribute another 1,500 personnel.
"The combined Joint Task Force represents what I believe is a new chapter of what I assess will a successful campaign to bring the coalition's power to bear and ultimately lead to the defeat of Daesh."
U.S. defense officials announced Thursday that U.S. airstrikes in Iraq since early November killed three mid- to senior IS leaders, identified as deputy Haji Mutazz, senior commander Abd al-Basit and IS leader in Iraq Radwin Talib.
"There will be challenges down the road that will require patience," Terry said. "The government of Iraq understands the great threat they face, and they are resolved to defeat it."
Terry's use of the term "Daesh" was a departure from the Pentagon's typical reference to the group as "ISIL." The general explained: "Our partners, at least the ones that I work with, ask us to use [Daesh] because they feel that if you use ISIL that you legitimize a self-declared caliphate, and actually they feel pretty strongly that we should not be doing that."
