Coalition airstrikes hammer ISIS bases in Shingal, kill 24 militants

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — US-led coalition airstrikes against ISIS jihadis in the town of Shingal, Mosul province, resulted in the deaths of 24 militants, a Peshmerga commander told Rudaw.

“The coalition airstrikes bombarded Daesh positions around 12 pm on Tuesday from the west, east and center of the town,” Ezadin Sandi, a commander of the 12th Peshmerga Brigade, said Tuesday. Daesh is the Arabic acronym for ISIS.

“From the east side, they attacked a Daesh-held checkpoint, where at least 14 jihadists were killed. Meanwhile the airstrikes targeted a checkpoint and one of the group’s positions from the west and central areas, which resulted in the death of 10 Daesh gunmen,” Sandi added.

ISIS bases in the disputed Shingal have been frequently bombarded by coalition airstrikes in the last few months.

Earlier in May, US-led coalition warplanes conducted seven airstrikes within two hours against ISIS in Shingal, killing at least 30 jihadis during an operation.

In other developments, Iraqi security forces Tuesday announced the start of a military campaign to drive ISIS out of western Anbar province. Iraqi forces have reportedly seized an area south of the ISIS-held city of Ramadi previously used by the extremists to truck in reinforcements, weapons and supplies.