they are continuing to push forward. and as you mentioned, it is an important test because some of these troops we believe have been recently trained by the united states and we'll see if they fair any better than the previously u.s.-trained iraqi army that fled from mosul and tikrit last june. ana? >> ben real quickly, i want to ask you about -- we're learning of an iranian general who is there in the ground battle with iraqi forces battling isis and given the history of iraq and iran i mean how big of a role is iran playing on the ground there with iraqi military men and women? >> reporter: it does appear -- i don't think there are any women fighting in the iraqi army. >> i suppose not. no. >> reporter: it does appear this man, sulamani who is the head of the elite army force is on the ground outside tikrit. now, according to the