Airstrikes kill 18 ISIS militants near Mosul

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Coalition airstrikes have killed 18 Islamic State (ISIS) militants near the town of Bashik east of Mosul Friday morning, a Kurdish official said.

Saeed Mamuzini, a Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) official in the area told Rudaw that fighter jets bombed ISIS positions around the town for two hours.

“According to information we have received, two of the killed militants were high-ranking ISIS commanders,” said Mamuzini.

A number of militants were also injured, he added.

Bashik is a predominantly Chrisitan own southeast of Mosul.

It was captured by the extremist group in June.

Mamuzini said that Kurdish Peshmerga forces have congregated on Mount Bashik for a possible attack on the Islamic group and recapture of the town.