An offensive attack against ISIS in the town of Sinjar, Iraq has been launched by a combined coalition of American forces and up to 7,500 Peshmerga fighters.
Sinjar is a pivotal area as it links the Iraqi city of Mosul to many cities in Syria that ISIS holds. “Operation Free Sinjar” is supported by constant American airstrikes. As the Peshmerga fighters moved into the city via trucks and fighting vehicles this morning, a small American unit was seen atop a nearby hill calling in and confirming airstrikes. The Kurdish Regional Security Council has said that its forces have gained control of Highway 47, the villages of Gabarra, and Tel Shore.
Last year when the world first became aware of the growing threat of a newly born ISIS, Sinjar was the area where hundreds of Iraqi civilians were surrounded and stranded on a mountaintop. This prompted the first American airstrikes aimed towards ISIS back on August 8th of last year.
The American air support is most likely carried out by F-18s launched from the Persian Gulf.
This is a great opportunity for the Peshmerga to show the world that they can work in unity with coalition air power. If control over Sinjar is achieved, it will be difficult to maintain because it lies directly in between two major ISIS fronts.
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