Peshmerga destroy ISIS hideouts on Qarachogh mountain: Sirwan Barzani

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces destroyed ISIS hidehouts during an operation against ISIS militants on Qarachogh mountain in Makhmour, Peshmerga Major-General Sirwan Barzani, Commander of Sector 6, announced on Thursday.

Brave #Peshmerga of #Kurdistan at Sector 6 conducted an operation in south of Qarachox mountain. 36 caves were compromised over 2 days. They seized weapons, explosives, and other equipment used for making explosives. Thankfully, there is no casualties on Peshmerga side. pic.twitter.com/eMApjyn6oo

— Sirwan Barzani (@SirwanBarzani_) September 8, 2022

“Brave #Peshmerga of #Kurdistan at Sector 6 conducted an operation in south of Qarachox mountain. 36 caves were compromised over 2 days,” he said in a tweet.

“They seized weapons, explosives, and other equipment used for making explosives."

He added that "thankfully, there is no casualties on Peshmerga side.”

Makhmour is a disputed territory located approximately 60 kilometers southwest of Erbil.

ISIS militants have operated from tunnels and hideouts in Mount Qarachogh, and other disputed areas since the destruction of its self-styled caliphate in Iraq in 2017.

Following the Kurdistan Region's 2017 independence referendum, Iraqi forces pushed the Kurdish Peshmerga out of the disputed territories, including Makhmour.

As a result of this, large security gaps were created in these areas that ISIS have exploited.

The US-led coalition has pushed for more Iraqi-Kurdish cooperation against ISIS, but so far the establishment of joint brigades have been stalled due to a lack of budget from Baghdad.

Peshmerga forces in sector 6 regularly launch operations against ISIS militants near Makhmour.