ISIS ousted from second Makhmour village in less than a week, Peshmerga say

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Peshmerga forces backed by coalition jets and armed Arab tribesmen pushed ISIS out of a second village on the Makhmour front in less than a week, a Peshmerga commander said.

He said that the Islamic State (ISIS) militants fought with several car bombs, but were defeated.

Peshmerga forces managed to recapture the village of Kudila on the Makhmour front without casualties, Nazm Harki, a Peshmerga official on the Makhmour front, told Rudaw.

“The recapture of the villages of Kudila and Karmrdi (earlier) are of great importance for the Peshmerga because these have close proximity to the (villages of) Haji Ali and Gayara township,” he explained.

“For military geography it is important too for the Peshmerga, therefore earlier this morning, with a solid plan, we launched the assault," said Harki, referring to the ISIS-held township of Gayara in southern Mosul.

Karmrdi was recaptured on Monday by Arab tribal militias backed by Peshmerga forces.

Harki added that "ISIS left many dead bodies, weapons and ammunition behind."

A Rudaw reporter on the scene said that ISIS launched a counter-offensive with many car bombs.

Harki said the reason ISIS always depends on car bombs is because "the number of their militants is decreasing. Many have fled and died. Only a handful of brainwashed militants fight for them and ISIS uses them to carry out suicide missions."He said ISIS now had to rely on explosives, booby traps and car bombs in its assaults.

In the latest offensive, the Peshmerga destroyed four car bombs ISIS used to target the Kurdish forces.

Coalition warplanes played a substantial role too. "We are grateful for that support," Harki said.

He added that Arab tribal militants had also played their part, and “we are going to hand over these villages to the Arab families."