WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- As the deadline nears for U.S. troops to exit major Iraqi cities , units in Mosul are in the midst of a months-long operation to sweep out extremist fighters . U.S. troops have a deadline of June 30 to exit major Iraqi cities . The decision on whether to keep troops in the restive northern city beyond June 30 has been a sticking point between the United States and Iraq . Parts of the city remain under insurgent control and high-profile attacks continue , unlike the vast majority of the country . `` We still have a major operation going inside of Mosul with all forces assisting and helping out . We expect that to end here within about 30 to 45 days , and then there will be a decision to be made , '' the top U.S. commander in Iraq , Gen. Raymond Odierno , told reporters at the Pentagon on Friday . `` I was just up there Saturday , and we conducted a joint assessment , '' he said . `` There 's some problems that we have to work through but , in fact , there 's potential that they [ Iraqi forces ] can handle the mission '' when they take over in July . Despite concerns about the continuing violence , the government of Iraq said last week it will not extend the deadline for U.S. combat troops to leave Iraqi cities . The joint operation to clear Mosul of insurgents has been going on for 75 days , neighborhood by neighborhood , according to Odierno . `` It 's going to take us another 30 days to finish that , '' he said . Mosul has become the last major fighting ground in Iraq as insurgents , mainly al Qaeda , were pushed north out of Baghdad during the U.S. troop `` surge '' that started in 2007 . Insurgents were able to entrench in the city as U.S. and Iraqi forces cleared and held Baghdad and other regions . A number of U.S. troops were moved out of Mosul to help with surge operations farther south , leaving Mosul and surrounding areas mainly to Iraqi forces and a smaller U.S. military contingent . While Odierno said the current operations are `` having a good impact , '' in Mosul , continued high-profile attacks haunt commanders there . On May 1 a suicide bomb was detonated near a coffee shop , killing at least six people . Five U.S. soldiers were killed on April 10 when a suicide bomber breached the outer security barrier of Iraqi National Police headquarters in southern Mosul . It was the single deadliest attack on U.S. troops in more than a year , the U.S. military said . Odierno noted the tactic of using women as suicide bombers is being used by insurgents in Mosul . `` We 've seen a few in Mosul -- a couple of attacks were connected by Tunisian foreign fighters that came in , we think , through Syria . We actually detained the leader of the cell , so now we 're learning more and more about it , '' he said . U.S. and Iraqi forces are also facing a recent increase of attacks in Baghdad , which Odierno and other U.S. military officials pin on al Qaeda trying to again foment sectarian violence . `` We 're trying to get inside of these cells . We 're trying to understand where they 're coming from and we have been successful . We are picking people up , '' the general said . He said the United States has improved its intelligence sharing with the Iraqi forces over the past six months , helping to impair the ability of the insurgents to move around . `` Their [ Iraqi forces ' ] strength is the human intelligence . Our strength comes in other ways . And so we 're trying to combine those together so we can work toward solving this problem , '' he said . But with 45 days left until the security agreement with Iraq takes U.S. troops in Baghdad off the streets and back to their bases , there is some uncertainty about how Iraqi forces will contain the current violence . Odierno remains positive . `` There 's a potential that this could actually work , if the Iraqis are able to maintain in the cities and we 're able to , then , to spend more of our time in the support zones outside of the cities , '' he said . `` We actually could come up with , actually , a stronger method of going after these forces . But we 'll have to wait and see . ''
Parts of restive northern city remain under insurgent control , attacks continue . Iraq says it will not extend June 30 deadline for U.S. troops to leave cities . Mosul last major battleground since troop surge forced insurgents out of Baghdad . Top U.S. commander in Iraq says potential exists for Iraqis to handle mission .