ERBIL — The Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga and Iraqi Army forces carried out a joint operation against the Islamic State (IS) in areas around the Qarachogh mountain, outside the district of Makhmour.

The 14th Infantry Brigade of the Peshmerga Ministry joined forces with the 50th Infantry Brigade and the 14th Division of the Iraqi Army for the substantial joint operation, a statement by the Peshmerga Ministry said.

This military campaign, strategically focused on key areas including the villages of Kushaf, the slopes of Mount Qarachogh, and the banks of the Great Zab River, aimed to locate and destroy IS hideouts and bases.

The joint operation is part of ongoing efforts to address security vulnerabilities that surfaced after the Kurdistan Region's independence referendum in 2017. Following the referendum, the Iraqi army and pro-Iran Hashd al-Shaabi forced the Kurdish Peshmerga withdraw from disputed territories such as Kirkuk, Makhmour, and Nineveh, leaving security voids that IS has exploited.

In response to these threats, Peshmerga and Iraqi forces have carried out joint operations to prevent IS resurgence in these strategically significant areas.

The operation was conducted with precision, utilizing intelligence gathered from local sources and aerial surveillance to target known IS positions.