Peshmerga spokesman: the main goal is to retake our Kurdish lands from ISIS

By Campbell MacDiarmid

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Kurdish forces fighting alongside Iraqi troops and Shiite militiamen have liberated the two largest areas of Diyala province from the Islamic State (ISIS ), regaining important water and oil supplies and a strategic highway running from Baghdad to the Iranian border, the Peshmerga spokesman said.

Lieutenant General Jabar Yawar said in an interview with Rudaw that the areas of Jalawla and Sadiya, which were recaptured in battles Sunday, had been under ISIS control for three months. He added that Jalawla was captured by the Peshmerga alone, but pushing the militants out of Sadiya had been a joint effort.

“These were the two largest areas in Diyala province which were liberated and we can say that ISIS now has no significant presence in that area,” Yawar said.

He added that ISIS fighters had retreated to the Hamrain mountain, and that a joint operation with the Iraqi Army is underway against them.

 Yawar explained why Jalawla and Sadiya are strategically important.

“There are two dams in this area that hold a lot of water and supply Jalawla and Baghdad.  Naftahnah, an area rich in oil, is nearby. Moreover, there is an important highway which goes from Khanaqin  (near the Iranian border) to Diyala and Baghdad,” he said. “It is a very important trade road which links Iraq to Iran.”

Yawar said that the only Kurdish areas left under ISIS control are Shingal, Bashika, Telkef and Hamdania, and that plans are underway to free Shingal.

“The main goal is to retake our Kurdish lands, then we will continue fighting ISIS within the international coalition and alongside the Iraqi government,” Yawar said.  

“We can't say how long we will need to win this fight. ISIS controls a large area in Iraq – around four provinces, and a large area Syria. It will take a lot of time, effort and fighting to beat them.”

Yawar added that 160,000 Peshmerga forces are involved in the war. “We have had a large number of martyrs,” he disclosed, without giving numbers or other details.  “We don’t know the exact number of ISIS killed, but it's a large number, especially taking into account the coalition airstrikes,” he added.

“Peshmerga forces have recovered up to 70 enemy bodies at a time, but other times ISIS forces have taken their dead with them before retreating,” he said.

Yawar said that equipment and training received from the West had helped in the war.

“But we cannot say that it is enough. As long as the fighting continues we will need support. The international coalition is our only source of support for ammunition and weapons. We don't have other sources of support and we need more.”

Yawar explained that the Peshmerga had been receiving instruction in street fighting, sniper training and in bomb detection and defusion.

“The Peshmerga have only been receiving this training for two months, and while already some of the effects of this training have begun to appear, it's still early and they need more time,” he said.

Yawar denied that the Peshmerga were planning on starting their own air force.