Kurdish fighters have freed seven villages from the clasps of the Islamic State group in northern Iraq in recent days, the US-led coalition battling the jihadists says.
The Combined Joint Task Force said the Peshmerga fighters, bolstered by coalition airstrikes, had wrestled back more than 200 square kilometres near the town of Tuz since August 26.
Planes and drones conducted a total of 25 strikes, helping the Kurdish forces in "liberating seven villages," a statement said.
Elsewhere in Iraq, the situation remains more static, a spokesman for the US military's Central Command (Centcom) said.
In Ramadi, capital of the key battleground province of Anbar, Iraqi forces continue to try and isolate the city, which fell into IS hands in May.
"It remains a challenging fight" said Centcom spokesman Colonel Patrick Ryder.
Meanwhile in the Baiji area north of Baghdad, where fierce fighting has lasted for months, Iraqi forces "continue to hold their ground" at an oil refinery that has been scene of much fighting.
Within the city of Baiji itself the IS group has taken "back some ground but they paid a very heavy price for it."
AFP
