U.S. officials confirmed the death of some 200 Islamic State (ISIS) fighters after Peshmerga forces backed by U.S. and coalition air support launched counterattacks against the jihadist group in the Iraqi city of Mosul.
Col. Steve Warren, a senior spokesman for the U.S. military in Iraq, said ISIS conducted surprised attacks against Kurdish forces in four locations around Mosul late Wednesday using car bombs, suicide bombers, small arms and even bulldozers, prompting the Kurds to retaliate with aerial support from coalition team, Fox News reported.
He said the ground battle that lasted for 17 hours was supported by U.S., French, British and Canadian aircraft. At least 180 fighters were reportedly killed by airstrikes and more than 20 others were killed in fighting with the Kurdish troops on the ground.
Another military official told Fox news that about 18 Peshmerga fighters were also killed in the battle.
Warren said the multiple ISIS attacks on Wednesday, the largest attacks of its kind since the terror group arrived in Iraq last year, "achieved a tactical surprise,'' but praised the effectiveness of the Peshmerga fighters against the militant group.
"The pesh got a little bit of a black eye, but they put the other guy in the hospital," he said. "This is the largest punch that ISIS has thrown, and the pesh handily defeated them.''
In a press conference on Dec. 17, Maj. Gen. Charles Lamarre also praised the Canadian special forces which provided supporting fire as Kurdish forces undertook a counter-offensive in the day-long battle.
Canadian special forces have been training local militias in Nawaran, Bashiqa, Tel Aswad, Khazr and Zardik, when ISIS launched surprised attacks using suicide bombers, mortars and rockets a day earlier, with ISIS fighters following up in an attempt to exploit holes in Kurdish defences, he said.
"They came under effective fire and our guys were close enough and able to respond with fire on to those ISIS positions,'' Lamarre said, the International Business Times reported.
He said Canadian planes also took part in the airstrikes weeks before pulling out of anti-ISIS operations in Syria and Iraq under new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's election pledge.
The official said there were no Canadian fatalities.
Brig. Gen. Mark Odom, the senior American officer in charge in northern Iraq, meanwhile, claimed that ISIS attacks are fewer and have become less lethal in recent months.
"Attacks that do occur originate from a greater distance and rely more on indirect fire, like artillery, rockets and mortar, rather than direct attacks at closer range, using small arms and other weaponry,'' he said.
