[Sesay:] U.S.-led coalition forces are moving forward in their fight against ISIS in Iraq. Right now, troops are circling Mosul and have killed up to 900 ISIS fighters. The militants have also started sending suicide squads to Mosul from Raqqa in Syria.
[Vause:] And Raqqa is the next ISIS stronghold coalition forces will be targeting. The U.S. defense secretary says both operations will happen simultaneously.
[Sesay:] CNN military analyst, Lieutenant Colonel Rick Francona, joins us live via Skype from Oregon. Colonel Francona, thank you so much for joining us. Why are ISIS fighters launching such fierce defense of areas to the south of Mosul as opposed to just retreating to take a stand there in the city? I mean, what's the group's strategy here?
[Lt. Col. Rick Francona, Cnn Military Analyst:] Well, they're trying to slow down the Iraqi advance giving the ISIS fighters inside the city more time to make the fortifications stronger than they are. They are being effective at it. They have blunted the momentum of the Iraqi army. The Iraqis are still moving forward but it's going slowly to clear the obstacles, mine fields and suicide bombers. So you know, that's their strategy and it's being effective.
[Sesay:] To date it appears the Iraqi-led coalition is successfully coordinating the efforts among the different actors involved. And we know there are a lot of different parties involved. If they get to Mosul and breach the perimeter, that cohesion will be tested in a new way.
[Francona:] I think it's going to be. We're seeing how fierce the defense of the city of Mosul is to be. We're not even to the city yet and the fighting is already intense and fierce. Once they get into the city itself, it will be that much more intense. And we've heard from the Iraqi generals that they plan to only use the Iraqi army and Iraqi police forces inside the city itself and have the Kurds remain out. I think once they get in there and find out how hard this is going to be, they will have other actors in there, probably the Kurds, maybe not the Shia militias, but they will be hard pressed to this by themselves.
[Sesay:] They are. Colonel Francona, thanks for joining us.
[Francona:] Sure.
[Vause:] Next here on CNN NEWSROOM, a moment of revelation, something that has not been seen for centuries, the stone slab believed to be the final resting place for Jesus.