MOUNT SHINGAL—Kurdish Peshmerga forces entered the town of Shingal Saturday evening and advanced to the town center where they only faced slight resistance from Islamist militants, a Kurdish official said.
“We entered Shingal from east of the town and cleared them from the militants,” said Fazil Mirani, a high-ranking Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) official leading a frontline. “From there we advanced to the town center and we are based there now.”
Mirani said that the upper land and hills around Shingal are heavily fortified by the Peshmerga.
“There are lots of explosives and bombs everywhere and therefore we have instructions to move with caution,” he said.
“There is sporadic shooting here and there, but no heavy fighting at the moment,” he added.
Mirani said that there is no chance for an ISIS counterattack as the Peshmerga have cut off many roads around Mosul.
“Our forces have controlled a major point at the Syrian border and the roads near by,” said Mirani. “The terrorists are demoralized.”
Nearly 8,000 Peshmerga fighters launched their biggest operation against ISIS northwest of Iraq on Wednesday, so far capturing more than 1,000 square kilometers and killings scores of militants.
According to Mirani many Islamist militants have fled to Syria.
“Our forces pounded their positions in Tal Afar and there is an exodus of ISIS and people fleeing,” he said. “Our information tells us that maybe fewer than 100 militants are left in Tal Afar.”
“They committed a terrorist act and for us it is self-defense,” he added. “We will defend and liberate our Kurdish land.”
Mirani said that the Peshmerga have suffered only three wounded in four days of fighting.
“The fact tat we have taken more than 1,000 kilometers in a few days shows their collapse,” said Mirani of the quick advance of the Kurdish forces and ISIS retreat on all fronts.
All parts of Iraq taken by ISIS are connected together and must be freed, but in Kurdistan we have our own priorities, said Mirani.
He said that the Kurdish President Massoud Barzani has supervised the operations and the military planning.
