Army

Exclusive: Inside Iraq - Part One

British troops are playing a key role in training Iraq’s security forces as they prepare to liberate the country’s second city Mosul from Islamic State.

Forces TV was invited to Iraq to see the training being conducted by troops from 1 RIFLES and other British Army units across Kurdistan, the autonomous Kurdish region of Northern Iraq.

On a training area near the capital Erbil riflemen and sappers are teaching the Peshmerga how to search for IEDs using the Vallon, a handheld mine detector used by UK forces in Afghanistan.

As ISIS lose towns and villages they’re leaving behind thousands of deadly booby traps.

Two days earlier these soldier’s commanding officer was killed in an IED explosion.

Lauren, an officer with the Royal Engineers explains.

“His funeral’s in the next few days. It’s really hit home with these guys and they know just how important the training is we’re offering them."

Chepstow-based 1 RIFLES have been here in Iraq for the past 16 months. At the moment it’s the turn of B Company.

The battalion's commanding officer, Lt Col Charlie Grist, says the hard lessons learned by the British Army in Afghanistan are now helping the Peshmerga as they fight ISIS.

Lt Col Grist said.

“In a recent operation they found 30 IED’s and didn’t have any casualties and that was after a specific set of training our troops delivered."

When IS swept across Iraq in the summer of 2014 they came within 25 miles of Erbil.

With the help of US airstrikes the Peshmerga pushed them back and now defend a 1,600-mile front line, part of which encircles the city of Mosul, Islamic State’s de-facto headquarters in Iraq.

Liberating Mosul is the next objective for Iraq’s security forces and the US-led coalition.

The Peshmerga have proved highly effective in fighting ISIS but the historically difficult relationship between the Kurds and Baghdad means no one is yet sure how big a role they’ll play in liberating Iraq’s second city.

Colonel Nzar Mohammed Ahmed, the ERF’s commanding officer thinks his troops should be there.

"You would have to ask the politicians whether the Peshmerga will take part in the fight for Mosul or not. Personally I think if the Peshmerga don't take part that war won't succeed. It’s a decisive battle.”