ISIS gangs launched 4 attacks last night on peshmerga emplacements in Giwêr and Maxmur, leading to fierce clashes after a strong response by the peshmerga forces.

The international coalition carried out air raids last night on ISIS emplacements around Mahkmur and Giwere, killing 25 gang members, including a commander. Following the air strikes, ISIS gangs launched attacks on the villages of Telrim, Carulla and Sultan Abdullah around Mahkmur and Giwer. Fierce clashes broke out following a strong response from peshmerga forces, according to reports.

The person in charge of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, PUK, in Mahkmur, Reshad Gelalî, told ROJNews that the clashes continued until the late hours and that the gangs had had to retreat in the face of the strong response. Gelalî said the killing of their leader affected them and left them leaderless, adding that the corpses of 4 gang members were seized by the peshmerga forces in the clashes, while 5 peshmerga were wounded.  

Concerning the participation of the guerrilla forces, Gelalî said the PKK guerrillas are not taking part in the clashes in that region for the moment, as the guerrillas do not wait to respond until the gangs attack, but rather prefer to actively carry out attacks on the gangs, adding that the tactical choice of the guerrilla forces is not appropriate to the nature of the clashes on the Mahkmur front.

The PUK Mahkmur spokesperson ended his words by saying “The coalition forces bombarded ISIS emplacements. The clashes afterwards developed on the initiative of the peshmerga forces, not allowing the advance of the gangs. As the clashes continue there is not yet clear information on the outcome”.