One hundred jihadi thugs killed as Kurds carry out massive operation on extremist stronghold
Oil-rich Mosul is Iraq's second largest city and acts as a base for the fanatics' operations in the war-torn country
KURDISH Peshmerga fighters launched a daring offensive to drive ISIS thugs from key defensive positions near their Mosul stronghold, killing scores of the bloodthirsty fighters.
At 4am yesterday, a force of 5,500 Peshmerga fighters backed by overwhelming US and coalition air power launched a major operation from Khazir military base, just 27 miles east of the Iraqi city.
They drove the ISIS troops back but hours of bloody gun battles cost them four men, including one doctor and 34 more were injured. The operation is seen as a key victory over the Islamic State.
Oil-rich Mosul is Iraq's second largest city and acts as a base for the fanatics' operations in the country, a way for the jihadis to raise the billions that fund their vile operations, and a place for cowardly militants to hide among innocent civilians whenever there is an air strike.
Liberating Mosul is therefore seen as key to weakening ISIS' death grip on Iraq, with experts predicting its fall could lead to the total collapse of the terror group in the region.
“The plan was to regain nine villages from Daesh [ISIS] and I can say that we have been successful,” the head of Peshmerga in Khazir, Arif Tayfur proudly told The Sun while sitting in his office at the Peshmerga's main military base.
During the two-day operation, the Kurdish troops initially captured five villages before launching multiple successful attacks the following morning.
Tayfur said: “We took 5 villages from ISIS yesterday and this morning we re-launched the operation and captured two villages on one side of the river, and we have just recaptured the other two villages.
“Our forces are now clearing the area of mines and IEDs [Improvised Explosive Devices]."
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According to the Kurdistan Region Security Council the Kurds are now in control of an area of 46 square miles.
The operation is part of the larger attempt by anti-ISIS forces to remove the extremist from Mosul – Iraq’s second largest city.
The liberation of Mosul has been a strategic goal of all the groups fighting the jihadists since the terror group captured it in June 2014 and declared it the capital of their self-declared Islamic Caliphate.
In the “second phase” the Kurds will reconnect these villages, with new frontlines southeast of Mosul city, then use that as a springboard to make an assault on other ISIS strongholds.
“Next we have to join up with the Peshmerga in Gwer and the Iraqi army in Makhmour,” 50-year-old commander Tayfur explained.
A secondary objective of the assault was also to secure Erbil – the Kurdish captail - from any potential retaliatory attacks by the jihadists.
“Another aim of the attack was to protect our citizens and protect Hawlar [the Kurdish name of Erbil],” he explained, adding: “We [also] showed them [ISIS] the strength of the Peshmerga.”
Despite the major success in dislodging the bloodthirsty extremists from this area, the jihadists did put up a difficult fight in parts – using mortars and multiple suicide trucks
“Four Peshmerga have been killed - one of them was a doctor who was killed yesterday - and 34 have been injured,” the commander said, “but hopefully I think most of them will survive.”
According to the security services at least 140 of the extremists were killed and 14 car bombs were destroyed during the assault.
The head of Khazier’s base – however - is not very concerned with ISIS death toll.
“The dead ISIS are not causalities - don’t call them casualties. We do not count them as that,” the 50-year-old snapped, before adding,“there are many dead Daesh in villages though, and we will have to clear them.”
The operation comes off the back of heavy fighting elsewhere in ISIS territory, in particular Fallujah in eastern Iraq, which the Iraqi Army, backed by Shiite militias is attempting to recapture. If Fallujah falls, Mosul will be the only major city left in Iraq for ISIS.
“You can say this is the start of the beginning of the operation to actually liberate Mosul,” the commander stated.
On the frontline, the Peshmerga – which means those who love death – are rightfully boastful about their recent victory over the extremists.
“The battle is over, and we beat Deash,” a 24-year-old Kurdish fighter – with an RPG - cheered as he past by the journalist convoy.
During the operation, the Kurds also managed to capture two ISIS fighters.
“We killed most of them, but we also captured two ISIS fighters are Wardak village,” another joyful Peshmerga fighters stated.
“They were in a tunnel, but we eventually got them out,” he added.
ISIS had controlled the area since the summer of 2014, displacing many of the Kakai and Shabak minorities – a non-Muslim sect – from the region - however, some are now returning.
“I have come back to see the devastation, and go to my home,” a middle aged Kakai refugee explained.
The man, who was going back to see if any of his home was still standing, was bitter about his neighbouring villagers.
“When ISIS came we had to flee,” he said while pointing eastwards, “[But] the worst thing was [some of] the Arab villagers turned against us and joined Daesh.”
Despite this area now being under Kurdish control, the situation remains tense, with the ground littered with un-exploded devices and Peshmerga fighters are still being injured.
“ISIS are still only around one kilometre away [and] we cannot enter that area as it needs to need to be cleared of IEDs and mines. It is still very dangerous, ” Nazer, the media officer explained, while pointing at the most recently captured village.
His suspicions are confirmed as an ambulance appears on the horizon, and drives past at high speed.
“I think that [a] Peshmerga might have bee injured by a mortar or an IED, they will have to send him to hospital”
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