Kurdish Forces Capture Telsqof, Advance Towards Mosul Dam

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Supported by US fighter jets Kurdish Peshmerga forces took the town of Telsqof early Sunday morning and they are making rapid advance towards the Mosul dam, said a Kurdish commander.

“With the help of American fighter jets the Peshmerga launched a wide-ranging attack this morning, we have taken Telsqof and Risala villages and we are moving towards the Mosul dam,” a Peshmerga commander in the area told Rudaw.

The commander said that the Islamic State (IS) militants are on the retreat.

“But we are moving carefully because the Islamist militants have left explosives behind and we want to minimize our losses,” he said.

The Peshmerga commander said that the aim of his forces is to recapture the Mosul dam that was controlled by the IS two weeks ago.

“The assault will continue until we retake Zumar and Shingal as well,” he said.

Sunday’s Peshmerga advance comes a day after a bombing campaign by US jets on multiple IS positions near the Mosul dam and surrounding villages.