BAGHDAD / WASHINGTON: Iraq’s defense minister criticized the U.S. Sunday for declaring a timeframe for an offensive to recapture ISIS’ northern stronghold of Mosul, saying military commanders should not show their hand to the enemy.

Khaled al-Obeidi said the timing of the Mosul assault was for Iraq to decide, and that a U.S. Central Command official who predicted the attack was likely to take place in April or May had no knowledge of the issue.

The United States and its allies have waged months of airstrikes against ISIS targets and Washington is training and equipping the Iraqi military to recapture territory. The battle for Mosul – the largest city in northern Iraq – is expected to be pivotal in that struggle.

A U.S. Central Command official said Thursday that an Iraqi and Kurdish military force of 20,000 to 25,000 troops is being prepared to recapture the city, probably in April or May.

But Obeidi declined to confirm that timetable, and expressed irritation at the remarks from the unnamed U.S. official.

“This is urban warfare and we have civilian populations. It is very important to take time and accuracy in setting the plan for this battle,” he told a news conference in Baghdad.

“A military official should not reveal the timing of an offensive,” he added. “The battle for Mosul starts when preparations are complete, and selecting the time is up to Iraqi military commanders.”

Iraqi officials say the Mosul attack will take place within months, but they have often said Baghdad needs greater international military support and have declined to set a date.

“I don’t know where the American official got this information ... They absolutely do not have knowledge on this issue,” Obeidi said.

Following criticism of the U.S. military briefing, the new U.S. defense secretary, Ash Carter, told reporters Saturday he would not state the precise timing of an offensive to retake Mosul.

Obeidi was speaking as Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi met the general in charge of U.S. forces in the Middle East, Gen. Lloyd Austin.

Meanwhile, questions persist about whether the struggling Iraqi military will be ready for the campaign to retake Mosul.

Iraqi officials continue to insist they haven’t gotten the advanced weapons they need for the operation, and some question whether they will be ready for a spring offensive. But the Pentagon insists the U.S. has sent tens of thousands of weapons and ammunition and more is in the pipeline.

Hakim al-Zamili, the head of the security and defense committee in the Iraqi parliament, told the Associated Press that “any operation would be fruitless” unless the brigades are properly prepared and have the weapons they need.

“I think if these weapons are not made available soon, the military assault might wait beyond spring,” he said. “The Americans might have their own calculations and estimations, but we as Iraqis have our own opinion. We are fighting and moving on the ground, so we have better vision and April might be too soon.”

According to the report the core of the fighting force will be five of Iraq’s most accomplished brigades, who will go through additional U.S. training before the operation.

But Zamili said that while several of Iraq’s units have gone through training recently, “these well-trained brigades cannot get involved in battles without being equipped with advanced and effective weapons that would enable them to penetrate enemy lines.”

His comment reflects a common complaint from the Iraqi government, both in recent months and throughout much of the Iraq war. 

The U.S., however, has sent tens of thousands of weapons, ammunition, body armor and other equipment to the country.

According to a senior defense official, the U.S. sent nearly 1,600 Hellfire missiles to Iraq last year, and has already delivered 232 more. About 10,000 M-16 assault rifles are due to arrive in the next few weeks, along with 23,000 ammunition magazines. The U.S. also has delivered thousands of rockets, mortar bombs, tank rounds, .50-caliber rounds and 10,000 M-68 combat optical sights, a rifle scope commonly used by the U.S. military.

About 250 mine-resistant, armor-protected vehicles will be delivered in a few weeks, along with sophisticated radio systems for the MRAPs and more ammunition rounds, said the official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The public discussion of the operation, including how many Iraqi brigades would be involved and how Kurdish peshmerga fighters would be used, triggered questions about whether it provided any key information to the enemy. 

The Pentagon doesn’t often disclose as much about an operation before it takes place, but in some cases it can be a strategic tactic intended to affect the enemy, trigger a reaction or even prompt some militants to flee before the assault begins. 

Military officials have said none of the information released could be put to any operational use by ISIS militants.