Peshmerga repel jihadist attack in southern Kirkuk

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – On Monday, Peshmerga forces thwarted an Islamic State (IS) attack in the south of Kirkuk Province that targeted two Peshmerga bases in the area.

Luqman Mohamad, a Peshmerga Commander in the south of Kirkuk, told Kurdistan24 that the jihadists launched the attack at 10:05 a.m. local time.

“Some of the jihadists sneaked into the village of Yarmuk and Marra, and Peshmerga soldiers are continuing to search for them,” Mohamad said.

He mentioned that the attack was very sudden, but Peshmerga defended the IS assault as well as inflicting significant damage to the group.

“There are at least two Da’esh bodies left on the battlefield,” Mohamad added, using the Arabic pejorative for IS.

Regarding the casualties from the Peshmerga side, he pointed out that only two soldiers were lightly wounded.

Peshmerga commanders and soldiers often complain that local Arab residents near the Kurdish forces’ front lines around Kirkuk often betray them.

They believe that it is because the local people have relatives and family members among the jihadist group.

Moreover, Peshmerga has been labeled as one of the most efficient ground forces in defeating IS in the north of Iraq.

The Kurdish forces defend over 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) of the Kurdistan Region border against the insurgents.

The Governor of Nineveh Nawfal Hamadi previously told Kurdistan24 that Peshmerga forces play a vital role in liberating areas in Nineveh Province.

“Peshmerga has liberated almost nine administration units from Da’esh in Nineveh,” said Hamadi.

Iraqi security forces and Peshmerga are currently planning for the Mosul offensive to free the city from IS as it has been under the group’s control since June 2014.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany