Battle of Zumar

The Battle of Zumar is an ongoing battle between the Islamic State and Kurdish Peshmerga troops over the city of Zumar in Northern Iraq. It started when the Islamic State launched an offensive on Zumar between August 1 to August 4 2014, resulting in its capture. Since August 31, Kurdish Peshmerga troops have captured several positions formerly held by ISIS, and they are currently undergoing an offensive to retake the town. On September 1, the Kurds claimed to have driven ISIS militants from the entire region of Zumar.

Initial ISIS advance
Beginning on August 1 2014, ISIS attacked Kurdish Peshmerga positions in and around the city of Zumar. According to Kurdish sources, the initial advance of ISIS was repelled with some 100 jihadist militants and 14 Kurdish troops killed; 38 more ISIS jihadists were captured by Peshmerga. However, three days later, ISIS captured the town as well as its oil field.

Kurdish counteroffensive
On August 31, Kurdish Peshmerga troops entered Zumar. The Kurdish forces launched the offensive after capturing the Ain Zala oilfields just outside of Zumar two days earlier. The Islamic State (IS) fighters torched three oil wells as they retreated from Ain Zala. The Peshmerga have been able to recapture several Islamic State-controlled towns after receiving weaponry from the United States and other nations. As a result of the attack by Peshmerga forces on the Zumar, more than 92 Islamic State militants have been killed and a further 160 taken to hospitals in Mosul with severe injuries. On September 1, the Kurds claimed to have driven the Islamic State out of the entire Zumar district with support from the U.S. Air Force.

French air strikes on IS in Zumar
Qassim al-Moussawi, a spokesman for the Iraqi military, said on September 19, 2014 that four French air strikes with Dassault Rafale fighter aircrafts, had hit the town of Zumar, killing dozens of militants, AP news agency reported.