Pentagon claims nearing end of mission to stop IS in Iraq

The Pentagon has said that it is nearing its mission to stop the Islamic State militants in Iraq.

According to CNN, briefing reporters on Tuesday, Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said that at present the IS was in a defensive posture inside Iraq, adding that whatever momentum they had been enjoying had been halted.

Kerby said that the US-led coalition had destroyed hundreds of vehicles, artillery positions, checkpoints and killed hundreds of their forces.

The US says that since the last two to three weeks, Islamic State militants have been lying low- defending their positions and holding on to what is left of the so-called caliphate in Iraq.

CNN military analyst retired Lt. General Mark Hertling said that the IS were "having trouble paying their fighters, they are having trouble governing, they don't have the leaders to actually govern the spaces they have attacked and taken over."

Moreover, the group is said to be losing face among some of the population under its control, with a few of the tribes turning against them.

The report further said that the number of foreign jihadists travelling to Iraq and Syria to fight alongside the Islamic State was gradually reducing.