WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Iraq’s Kurdish security forces assisted by coalition joint task force airstrikes and advise-and-assist teams pushed the Islamic State (ISIL) to the boundary of the areas it has held north of Mosul, according to a US Department of Defense statement on Monday.
“Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve airstrikes in support of the Iraqi government’s fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant aided security forces from the Kurdish region in seizing three bridgeheads on the west bank of the Tigris River north of Mosul in formerly ISIL-held areas,” the statement said.
Coalition advice-and-assist teams continued to provide operational and intelligence assistance to Kurdish security forces, further allowing them to conduct offensive operations, according to the statement.
Pentagon officials said the Kurdish forces will now hold the gains they have made, and are positioned to retake more territory.
“The most recent Peshmerga operation is yet another example of how [the ISIL] can be defeated militarily using a combination of well-led and capable ground forces enabled by coalition aviation and advise-and-assist capabilities,” Combined Joint Task Force commander James Terry said.
On Friday, US conducted 18 airstrikes against ISIL, ten in Syria and eight in Iraq, according to the Pentagon.
