Britain deploys 250 troops to Kurdistan, preparing for Mosul offensive

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Britain sent 250 soldiers to the Kurdistan Region in preparation for the major ground battle to take place in Mosul against the Islamic State (IS).

The UK’s Express reported on Sunday that 250 men from “4 Rifles” battalion are being sent to Kurdistan to provide military training to Peshmerga forces participating in the Mosul operation.

The jihadist group occupied the city in June 2014.

Kurdish and Iraqi security forces with the support of the US-led coalition are now preparing to launch an offensive to retake Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq, from IS.

The focus of the British soldiers will be defusing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

Intelligence information revealed that IS extremists had seeded booby traps and roadside bombs around Mosul to prevent the ground forces advancing, according to the Express.

The UK is likely to use mine clearing tanks, like the British Trojan, to clear the roads seeded with IEDs for the Kurdish and Iraqi armored vehicles to flow to Mosul.

However, military commanders fear the forces might face serious casualties.

As a result, plans are carried out for UK medics to station military hospitals around Mosul as the offensive begins.

All the British soldiers have received nuclear, chemical, and biological uniforms after the US military sources reported last month that IS targeted their soldiers with mustard gas, according to The Sun.

The UK is one of the most active members of the international coalition against IS.

The country has provided military aid and training to Kurdish and Iraqi soldiers as well as targeting the jihadist locations in Mosul with its aircrafts.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany