[Blitzer:] A deal between the United States and Russia on Syria appears to be in the works at this hour. The secretary of the United States, John Kerry, arrived in Moscow earlier today. He's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. They're expected to discuss a possible agreement to share intelligence and targeting data for air strikes in Syria. We'll see if that emerges. Joining us is Colonel Chris Garver, the spokesman for Operation Inherent Revolve, the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Thanks for joining us. What, if anything, can you tell us about this new initiative, the new effort for the U.S. and Russia to work together to expand this war against ISIS and destroy ISIS jointly?
[Col. Chris Garver, Spokesman, Operation Inherent Resolve In Iraq & Syria:] Wolf, as you know, Secretary Kerry is negotiating that right now. We'll let him do that. What I can tell you is the coalition is focused on defeating ISIS. And anybody else that wants to come in fighting ISIS as well will be welcome to do that. We've seen Russians in the past who said they were here to defeat is, but we've seen them do other things as well. If you're going to come into the coalition, you're going to work with us, we'd want you to be 100 percent focused on fighting
[Isis. Blitzer:] The media wing, as it's called, of ISIS claims a high- ranking ISIS commander, an individual by the name of Umar el Shashani, was killed in fighting near Mosul, a city of almost two million Iraqis that ISIS still controls, that he was killed four months ago. Actually, four months ago, the U.S. thought they had killed him in Syria. Is this guy dead?
[Garver:] Well, we certainly hope so. That was certainly the target of the attack, as it was, four months ago. But because of what happened, clearly, we're being very conservative in our assessment. We won't to make sure before we announce it we know for sure. We're still working through that assessment piece right now. But it will have a significant impact on the ISIS-led operation the ISIS fight around that area, around the south side of Mosul if we, indeed, did get him.
[Blitzer:] Mosul, a key target for the coalition right now. ISIS took over Mosul two years ago. They've been in control ever since. This is the second-largest city in Iraq. How does it look for the liberation of Mosul? Is that operation by the Iraqi military, back by the U.S., going to begin this year?
[Garver:] The operation is on going, Wolf. We've been shaping the fight in Mosul with stripes for several months. The Iraqi forces conducting that attack are in route now. They just took the Kiara Air Base over the weekend. We'll turn that into a platform from which they can launch the attack into Mosul. We definitely will see the operation continue forward. The Iraqis are making good progress. We're seeing them fight well on the ground, and they're defeating Daesh, defeating ISIS, as we call them, Daesh. They're defeating ISIS as they fight them on the ground. So we're looking forward to the fight in Mosul itself.
[Blitzer:] Besides the U.S., who else is launching air strikes against ISIS in Mosul, in that area?
[Garver:] Well, there are 16 members of the coalition that are providing strikes inside Iraq. So you've got the British, the French, a wide variety of the coalition members that are here, contributing nations to the coalition that are conducting those strikes inside Mosul. And the Iraqi air force itself is attacking inside Mosul as well.
[Blitzer:] I just want to be precise. The French, the British, the other partners that the U.S. has, their warplanes are involved, they're actually engaged in air strikes against ISIS? Is that right?
[Garver:] Absolutely. We're all tied together in one coalition air operation. So they all participate as part of that. And we appreciate their efforts in what they bring to the coalition.
[Blitzer:] So when do you think Mosul will be liberated?
[Garver:] That's the question right now. The prime minister has said he wants to do that by the end of the year. We're going to do everything we can to help make that come true.
[Blitzer:] Colonel Chris Garver, spokesman for the anti-ISIS coalition, U.S.-led, in Iraq, thanks for joining us.
[Garver:] Thank you for having me, Wolf.
[Blitzer:] Coming up, the Republican National Committee is working on its outreach to Latino voters here in the United States. We'll talk to the new director for Hispanic communications. There she is. We'll talk with her right after this.