Turkmen units from Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi militia umbrella group were also taking part (File Photo: AFP)
Iraq forces in major offensive on ISIS-held town
A final assault was launched by Iraqi forces in an attempt to retake the Turkmen majority town of Bashir from ISIS
Iraqi forces launched a final assault Saturday to retake the Turkmen majority town of Bashir from ISIS militants, Kurdish authorities said.
Pressure for an operation to retake the town had grown in March after ISIS launched a chemical attack from Bashir on the nearby town of Taza that killed at least three children.
“Bashir village is surrounded and 80 percent has been cleared,” the Kurdistan Region Security Council said on social media.
It said the push was launched at 0300 GMT to attack Bashir from the northern, eastern and southern sides.
Turkmen units from Iraq’s Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) militia umbrella group, which announced an operation to retake the town earlier this month, were also taking part.
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