IS changes tactics, Peshmerga remain victorious

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (K24) – Peshmerga Commander, Hussein Yazdanpanah, stationed along the front lines in Kirkuk Province on Thursday stated that Islamic State (IS) insurgents change their tactics, but that Peshmerga still defeat them consistently.

On Wednesday, Peshmerga fighter Kaka-Rash Majid, who has been fighting jihadists since June 2014 in west Kirkuk told K24 that Peshmerga forces have experienced different fighting tactics of IS.

"Peshmerga were not familiar with Daesh [IS] tactics before, but after a few months, we came to the conclusion that IS is not a big threat to the Kurdistan Region. They are so weak and can't stand against Peshmerga forces," he said.

Hallo Mahmoud, another Peshmerga fighter, has been fighting IS on the front lines in west Kirkuk for a year. He lost one of his arms in battle, but this has not stopped him in fighting IS. 

"Daesh [IS] has always been defeated in the area. They have attacked Peshmerga front lines almost one hundred times so far, but Peshmerga have repelled all their attacks," Mahmoud said.

Commander Yazdanpanah told K24 that jihadists changed their fighting tactics by sometimes taking advantage of bad weather, but Peshmerga remain defiant and victorious.

He noted that the military power of IS has been weakened. "If Peshmerga strongly respond in the first 15-20 minutes of an attack, they will not be able to continue and will be defeated immediately."