Erbil- Peshmerga forces continued attacks on ISIS, supported by the international coalition warplanes, within ongoing operations to liberate Mosul. Operations were conducted form three battlefronts to besiege ISIS from the north and east—six hours after launching the attacks forces seized more than nine towns of Bashiqa, Nawran and Telskuf.

Also, in a separate attack, Iraqi forces liberated five villages south Mosul.

The commander of the military wing of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) in Iran Hossein Yazdan Banna, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, said, “Peshmerga forces purged 200 square meters nine towns from ISIS on Thursday despite the bomb-laced cars and explosives”.

“Liberating Mosul closed in on ISIS– Peshmerga forces are now besieging Bashiqa fully and have blocked the road between ISIS fighters there and those in Mosul,” added Yazdan Banna, praising the essential role of international coalition warplanes in the battle.

Commenting on the battle to restore Mosul from ISIS, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said that Iraqi forces are moving forward quicker than expected.

Security and Defense Committee in Parliament called for taking precautions in this decisive battle. Member of the Parliament’s Security and Defense Committee Mohammed al-Karbouli told Asharq al-Awsat, “The decisive battle with ISIS hasn’t come yet. Iraqi military forces are still in the phase of besieging and blocking. They are advancing through six battlefronts, while elite forces anticipate the zero hour to attack Mosul.”

“The question everyone is asking, will the Popular Mobilization and Peshmerga forces advance towards Mosul, knowing that Abadi pledged that both forces will not enter it?” added Karbouli.