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Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday denied reports that the U.S. has tipped its hand for retaking the Iraqi city of Mosul from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
{mosads}“We’re not going to lay out the plans,” Kerry told ABC’s Martha Raddatz on “This Week” of the U.S. military’s strategy. “It will happen. Martha, contrary to what was in the newspaper … we’re not going to advertise when that will happen.”
Kerry was refuting reports that a senior U.S. Central Command official informed reporters of the timeline for retaking Mosul last month. The official estimated roughly 25,000 Iraqi soldiers were necessary to expel up to 2,000 ISIS militants from Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city.
The Central Command source also said such offensive would likely begin in April or May. The U.S. reportedly intended to form a main attack force of five trained Iraqi brigades, an effort feasible in as few as three to four weeks.
Kerry refused to commit to that timeline Sunday during his appearance.
“The Iraqis are working hard to come up to speed,” he said. “There’s a lot of effort being put into this. And we will do it when the moment is right and when we know we can proceed forward with the confidence that we want.”
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have condemned the possible leak. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) called the decision “mystifying,” and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) said she was “mind-boggled” by the move.