Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Kurdish Peshmerga Begin Assault on Town Near Mosul

by VOA News

   Iraqi Kurdish forces launched an offensive Monday to capture the town
   of Bashiqa from Islamic State fighters.

   Kurdish peshmerga forces had surrounded the town for weeks ahead of the
   assault.

   Peshmerga Lieutenant Colonel Safeen Rasoon told Reuters that an
   estimated "one hundred IS fighters are inside" Bashiqa.

   Artillery bombardment and airstrikes on Sunday and early Monday
   preceded the offensive.

   The town is about 13 kilometers northeast of Mosul, which is the
   largest city in Iraq still controlled by the Islamic State group.

   Iraqi government troops, along with peshmerga forces, began an
   offensive to capture Mosul three weeks ago. Iraqi forces entered the
   outer limits of the city late last week, but fighting has slowed as
   battles began in more densely populated parts of Mosul.