MESOP LATEST : Peshmerga Commander: we have received heavy weapons

03.08.2014 – Shwan Barzinji – BasNews, Erbil – A senior commander of Kurdish Peshmerga forces has told BasNews that they have received heavy weaponry and will attack Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) militants in Mosul in the near future.Major General AbdulRahman Kawreni, the commander of Spelk Battalion said that they have received the heavy weapons they need to fight ISIS insurgents in Mosul and neighboring areas and won’t stop until they clean Mosul of the extremist group.

“We have re-organized ourselves and are ready. We have received heavy the weaponry we need to fight ISIS and will attack Mosul shortly and won’t stop until we control it,” said Kawreni.

He also rejected reports that Peshmerga forces have withdrawn from Zumar and Kaskie the disputed towns west of Mosul close to Syrian border.“Those reports aren’t true. Peshmerga forces have killed hundreds of ISIS militants in the last a few days,” Added Kawreni.There were reports that Peshmerga forces strategically withdrew from Zumar and Kaskie after heavy clashes on Saturday. The withdrawal from the area was due to Iraqi military planes bombarding ISIS positions in the towns. There were big losses on both sides.Kawreni also said that in the past they didn’t want to attack Mosul, because of the city’s residents, but this time is different. So far there is not an official figure about the Peshmerga losses in the recent fighting near Mosul, with reports of about 20 Peshmerga having been killed so far.