Peshmerga voids IS offensives in Mosul front lines

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (K24) – Islamic State (IS) militants launched several offensives against Peshmerga on the Mosul front, including at least four suicide attempts on Sunday, December 13. The assaults were successfully  repelled by Peshmerga and US-led airstrikes, resulting in more than nine dead and several wounded militants.

According to the statement released by Peshmerga forces from the Khazir front line located southeast of Mosul, coalition airstrikes targeted an IS base near the village of Gazakan on Sunday. Troops on the ground told K24 that more than five IS fighters were killed in the airstrikes and several were wounded. The militants’ base was also destroyed.

A similar statement released by the Peshmerga stationed on the Kaske front,  northwest of Mosul confirms a simultaneous military offensive by IS extremists on Sunday. Zeravani Peshmerga Brigade 1 responsible for military operations on the Kaske front repelled the jihadists before they reached Peshmerga positions. Peshmerga also destroyed two suicide trucks and killed one suicide bomber during the battle. Coalition warplanes struck another suicide truck.

Based on the information K24 has received from Peshmerga forces on the ground, US-led coalition warplanes provided Peshmerga with air support during this counter-offensive. Jets bombarded an IS vehicle near the Kaske front and also targeted several extremists’ bases around the village of Asheq.

The media release from Zeravani forces in Kaske states that Peshmerga did not incur any casualties during these attacks.