Peshmerga defeats IS in Shingal, kills 40 jihadists

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Kurdish Peshmerga forces repelled the jihadist attack on the Kurdish Ezidi city of Sinjar (Shingal) front line and killed 40 jihadists, said a Peshmerga Commander on Thursday.

Islamic State (IS) took control of Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq in June 2014. In the last few months, the group has continuously lost territory from almost all front lines in Iraq and Syria.

On Thursday, a Peshmerga Commander on Shingal front line, told Kurdistan24 that at 4:00 am in the morning, jihadists attacked Peshmerga front line in Tel Banat area, but as always, the jihadists were defeated.

“The attack was carried out by 40 jihadists, and all of them were killed,” said the Peshmerga Commander whose name was not mentioned.

He also highlighted the role of the international coalition air strikes in targeting the IS bases in the area, calling it as an asset.

Recently, the US special envoy Brett McGurk stated that the coalition will defeat IS in Iraq and Syrian within 14 months. He mentioned that the jihadist group has lost 70 percent of territory in total, 50 percent in Iraq and 20 percent in Syria.

Moreover, on Thursday morning, Iraqi security forces on Makhmour front line, southeast of Mosul, launched an attack on IS and liberated two villages.

Iraqi Military Officer Amin Shekhani told Kurdistan24 that the forces have freed Darbaz and Karama villages from jihadists within four hours.

Coalition warplanes also participated in the offensive and heavily shelled IS location in the area.

Shekhani noted that coalition jets have detonated four vehicle-borne Improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) of IS.

“A senior Da’esh member called Abu Ayisha has been killed,” said Shekhani, using Arabic pejorative term. “Three soldiers of Iraqi army have been injured in the clashes.”

Editing by Ava Homa