Coalition warplanes target IS position southwest of Erbil Province

The targeted US-led coalition airstrike struck an IS position near the Qarachokh Mountain, one kilometer away from the Kurdish forces' frontline.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The US-led coalition on Sunday fired airstrikes at Islamic State (IS) extremists close to a Peshmerga frontline near the disputed area of Makhmour, southwest of Erbil, according to a Kurdish source.

The source told Kurdistan 24 that the targeted US-led coalition airstrike struck an IS position near the Qarachokh Mountain, one kilometer away from the Kurdish forces’ frontline.

The source added that the airstrike was conducted at 8:00 p.m. local time and killed at least seven extremists.

On Dec. 19, 2017, the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces engaged in a firefight with militants in the Qarachokh Mountain. One militant was killed in the fight as the Peshmerga successfully repelled the attack.

Halgurd Hikmat, a spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga Ministry, recently told Kurdistan 24 that IS could re-emerge as the group still has a presence in the region.

“The reality in the Hawija area, Kirkuk Province, Hamreen Mountains, and some areas in Nineveh Province near Mosul proves the fact that [IS] is getting militarily prepared, as they have been active in the region,” he said.

“This can be interpreted as [IS] getting ready to increase their military operations in those areas in the near future,” Hikmat warned.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany