ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Another Iraqi Army brigade arrived in the Makhmour region Tuesday night as part of the preparations underway for the long-anticipated Mosul offensive against Islamic State (ISIS) militants occupying that major city. "The force is from the 15th division of the Iraqi army containing 1000 soldiers and 168 military vehicles," a Rudaw reporter explained ahead of the arrival. "The military vehicles include Humvees, armored and bomb detection vehicles ," the Rudaw reporter added, citing that "intelligence teams have accompanied the force as well." Baghdad has begun preparations to launch a massive impending battle against ISIS militants in coordination with the Kurdistan Region and the United States-led coalition. Rudaw has learned that next week 7000 soldiers from two separate Iraqi Army brigades will be based in and outside Makhmour. On February 9, a military brigade from the Nineveh Operation Command arrived in the Makhmour region, a Peshmerga commander had told Rudaw.
