Peshmerga kills four IS suicide bombers, NE Mosul

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Peshmerga thwarted an attempted Islamic State (IS) attack in northeastern Mosul after four suicide bombers tried to cross the front line, said a Peshmerga source on Friday.

According to the source, four IS suicide bombers approached the Peshmerga front line in the Zumar area, northeastern Mosul, but the Kurdish forces defeated them.

The Peshmerga noted that the attack took place in Dbshiya village, but the Kurds were prepared and defended the assault. “One of the suicide bombers blew himself up near the front line,” he revealed.

He added that the other three suicide bombers were killed far away before reaching the Peshmerga front line. The source also mentioned that the attack resulted in no casualties for Peshmerga forces in the area.

He noted that IS continuously aims to cross the Peshmerga defense line and enter Kurdish territories currently protected by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), but as always, they fail “to achieve this dream.”

The same source added that another IS attack was foiled in Hardan village in the Zumar area. Many IS bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were confiscated.

He stated that the devices were prepared for a terrorist attack, but they were captured in a military operation after Peshmerga advanced in an area still under the control of the insurgents.

In June 2014, IS took control of Mosul, the second-largest city in the north of Iraq. The group expanded and took control of large swaths of territory stretching from the Province of Nineveh to Diyala, Salahaddin, and Anbar.

Iraqi security forces have liberated Qayyarah Air Base, a key area located in the south of Mosul. According to the Iraqi army commanders, the air base likely to be used for military logistics for the offensive of freeing Mosul from IS extremists.

US Special Envoy Brett McGurk previously stated that IS had lost 50 percent of its territory in Iraq and 20 percent in Syria since 2014.

He also noted that the morale of the jihadists has largely dropped, and the group continues to shrink in both countries.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany