伊拉克和庫爾德戰鬥人員報告收復摩蘇爾之戰初勝

Iraqi and Kurdish forces say they have retaken a number of villages outside the northern city of Mosul, as they press an offensive to reclaim control of the area from Islamic State militants.

The operation, backed by airstrikes from a U.S.-led coAlition and involving Sunni tribal forces and Shi'ite militias, went on for its second day Tuesday with the fighting still located outside of Mosul itself.

Kurdish President Masoud Barzani said the first day of fighting freed 200 square kilometers. He declared "Mosul will be liberated," and added that his fighters are doing their best to keep the city from becoming like war-battered Aleppo, Syria.

This is the largest military operation in Iraq since U.S. combat forces left five years ago, but it is raising concerns about the safety of hundreds of thousands of civilians in the area.

Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said Monday that Iraqi and Kurdish forces are "ahead of schedule so far." He said U.S. troops are on the outskirts of Mosul in a support role, but that "Iraqis are in the lead."伊拉克和庫爾德部隊說，他們已經收復了北部城市摩蘇爾郊外的許多村莊，與此同時正在將進攻向前推進，努力從伊斯蘭國極端分子手中收復對該地區的控制權。

在美國爲首的聯軍空襲支援以及遜尼部落力量和什葉派民兵的參與下，這次行動星期二進入第二天，戰鬥依然在摩蘇爾城外進行。

庫爾德總統巴扎尼說，第一天的戰鬥解放了兩百平方公里土地。他宣佈“摩蘇爾將得到解放”，並說他領導的戰士們正在盡最大努力，使摩蘇爾不變成敘利亞阿勒頗那樣慘遭戰爭蹂躪的城市。

這是美國作戰部隊五年前撤離以來伊拉克境內最大的一次軍事行動。不過，這次軍事行動也引起了對該地區數萬民衆安全的擔憂。

五角大樓發言人庫克星期一表示，伊拉克和庫爾德部隊“迄今行動速度超出預期”。他說，美國部隊在摩蘇爾郊外發揮支援作用，不過“率先的是伊拉克人”。