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Recapturing the city, Iraq’s second-largest, is crucial to the Iraqis’ hopes of restoring their sovereignty, although political stability will likely remain a challenge afterward.

Iraqi forces have only won back a handful of eastern Mosul neighbourhoods since launching the offensive in mid-October. On Sunday they came under mortar fire as they worked to clear villages along the Tigris River to the south, part of operations to secure supply lines for a campaign that is likely to stretch into the coming year.

Townsend disputed any suggestion that ISIL has managed to fight the Iraqi government forces to standstill in Mosul.

After citing the estimated 2,000 ISIL casualties, he added, “I don’t think that suggests anything about a stalemate. This is a major urban area. Any army on the planet, including the United States Army, would be challenged by this fight.”

“The Iraqi army has come back from near-defeat two years ago, and now they are attacking this major city,” Townsend said. “I don’t think there is anything in there about a stalemate.” Mosul is about 250 miles from Baghdad.

Townsend said U.S. intelligence estimated before the Mosul campaign kicked off that ISIL had 3,500 to 6,000 fighters in the city. He said the current estimate is 3,000 to 5,000.

Pentagon chief Carter made an unannounced visit Sunday to the Qayara base, flying in from Baghdad after meeting with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and sharing lunch with American troops. It was Carter’s first visit to Qayara since it began operating as an Iraqi staging base in October.