Peshmerga continue rout of ISIS south of Kirkuk

KIRKUK, Kurdistan Region – The Peshmerga have defeated ISIS militants in the Daquq area in an ongoing campaign to chase ISIS out of southern Kirkuk province, a Kurdish official has told Rudaw.

Fakhradin Abdullah, a Peshmerga commander, said operations south of Kirkuk city are still under way and advances against ISIS militants are being reported along several fronts.

“ISIS fought our forces for about three hours in Auzeria village in Daquq district, but we have completely recaptured the village,” Abdullah said.

Fighting in Atshana village, also in Daquq district, is still ongoing between ISIS militants and Peshmerga forces, the source said, adding that he expects the militants to be defeated.

Kurdish forces backed by coalition airstrikes recently launched a large-scale campaign that managed to clear ISIS from large tracts of territory south of Kirkuk and its oilfields.