Blow Struck Against ISIS in Sinjar City Center

The Sinjar Defense Units (Kurdish: Şengal) launched an operation against ISIS gangs in the Sinjar City Center yesterday evening, according to a report from DİHA carried by Özgür Gündem. At least 4 ISIS fighters are reported to have been killed in the fighting. No members of the Sinjar Defense Forces were lost.

The operation was the first carried out by the defense forces against ISIS gangs in the center of Sinjar. Locals have joined the Sinjar Defense Forces in the thousands following an offensive by ISIS fighters against the predominantly Yezidi region which began on Sunday, August 3rd.

ISIS fighters are accused of massacring hundreds of local civilians and the wider region is facing a growing humanitarian crisis as thousands flee ahead of the ISIS advance. Hundreds are facing hunger and dehydration and reports of deaths among the fleeing refugees, including of children, are increasing.

The Sinjar Defense Forces are fighting alongside local peşmerge units, as well as YPG forces who crossed the border from Rojava. YPG forces crossed through the Rabia border gate north of Sinjar on Sunday and have advanced 100 km south to the peak of Mt. Sinjar helping to block ISIS from advancing further north and to establish a security corridor to protect tens of thousands of fleeing refugees.

Kurdish forces are now reported to be back on the edge of Sinjar and PKK commander Murat Karayılan has sent scores of PKK fighters from Kandil to support in the city’s liberation.