By Hiwa Hussamadeen KIRKUK, Kurdistan Region – Kurdish Peshmerga forces backed by coalition warplanes launched an offensive against the Islamic State (ISIS) on the village of Bashir in southern Kirkuk on Saturday, following several failed attempts by the Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi forces to recapture the town. Peshmerga sources told Rudaw that the Kurdish forces are planning a three-pronged assault to recapture the village. The strategy is to first capture surrounding villages and then push into Bashir. At 5 am, US-led coalition warplanes carried out a wave of airstrikes on Bashir. Peshmerga sources said the offensive was ongoing and that the Kurdish forces are advancing against ISIS.The Peshmerga are aiming to close off supply routes by controlling the roads into Bashir. Military sources told Rudaw that ISIS has responded to the Peshmerga offensive by firing mortars. The militants have fired up to 12 mortars on the Peshmerga since morning on Saturday and have planted several bombs in an effort to halt the Peshmerga advance. Sources said that on Friday the Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi forces, which are commanded and financed by the government in Baghdad, handed command of parts of the Bashir frontline to the Peshmerga.The Shiite forces also participated in the offensive on parts of the frontline. Bashir, 20 kilometers south of Kirkuk city, is a predominantly Shiite town that fell to ISIS last year. Since then, the Hashd forces launched several failed offensives to recapture the village. Before the town fell to ISIS last year, 1,800 families were living there.
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