As they prepare, however, they must also help to defend Europe’s borders from the lone wolf jihadis who infiltrate the ranks of the thousands of refugees still fleeing the chaos and bloodshed caused by IS in Iraq and Syria.

Based just seven miles from Mosul, General Bahram Arif Yassin leads a force of 3,200 Iraqi-Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers. Last night he said his force was ready to launch a suicidal offensive against the heavily defended city, home to 10,000 heavily armed IS fanatics.

Embedded in their mountain camp overlooking the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul, they are the thin grey line protecting Europe’s borders from the Islamic death cult.But last night one exhausted Peshmerga general warned that ISIS would keep sending suicidal jihadis to create havoc in Western cities until the terrorists are finally vanquished.It comes as a report by Europol, the EU’s law enforcement agency, reveals that 211 failed or completed terror attacks were undertaken on European soil in 2015, resulting in 151 deaths and more than 360 people injured.

Speaking from his headquarters west of Mosul, General Yassin confirms: “Daesh [ISIS] is sending terrorists through refugee lines.“Mostly they are from Europe but not all. ISIS’ morale is very low and so they want to hit hard. Their new strategy is to smuggle men and women to Europe with explosives.”Recalling one recent encounter, he says: “A few days ago we came across families coming from Kurdistan. They were originally from Holland but actually the men were Daesh. Personally I haven’t seen any from Britain but I know that they have also passed through.

“Daesh [IS] is sending terrorists through refugee lines

General Bahram Arif Yassin”

“Mostly, these are people who came from Europe to train with the terrorists. But Daesh is also sending people who have never been to Europe. They travel with refugees, as one of them.

“We engage with them, as we do with other Daesh. I’ve lost more than 100 men this year already. We are the only ones protecting the international borders with Europe but we are few. We need help from the international community.”From his vantage point in the mountains, Yassin and his men observe ISIS activities in the city. This includes the chilling preparations being made to defend it against the onslaught they know will come.“From here we can watch them and so we know they are ready. They know that we will attack so they are building their defences. They are pouring oil everywhere, which they will set alight. “They will put themselves in civilian positions and use civilians like shields. They will hide behind them. And they are also digging tunnels. Many tunnels. We can hear the sound of ISIS digging underground from here.”

NC ATTACKS: A network of tunnels ranging for miles were found under the town of Khurbadan