Iraq: Peshmerga Kurds launch major offensive to retake town of Sinjar from Islamic State (IS)
Peshmerga forces are trying to break militants’ ability to move fighters and supplies between Iraq and Syria
Iraqi Kurdish forces on Thursday launched a major operation against the Islamic State group in the town of Sinjar, which lies on a key supply line for the jihadists, a senior officer said.
“The attack began at 7:00 am (0400 GMT), and the (Kurdish) peshmerga forces advanced on several axes to liberate the center of the Sinjar district,” Major General Ezzeddine Saadun told AFP.
Columns of smoke rose over the town from US-led coalition strikes and Kurdish shelling against IS positions in Sinjar, an AFP journalist said.