Kurdish peshmerga have launched their anticipated attack to take a key town north of Mosul, in the Iraqi-Kurdish offensive to recapture Iraq’s second city from the Islamic State.

The Kurdish forces surrounded Bashiqa, about 12 km (7.5 miles) from Mosul, more than a week ago. Early Tuesday they launched the ground assault to reclaim the town, significant because of its position on a key supply route. Warplanes from the US-led coaliltion bombed ISIS positions on Monday night in preparation for the offensive, and artillery fire is accompanying the ground forces.

An embedded reporter for the pro-Kurdish Rudaw said at least Islamic State fighters have been killed. Eleven ISIS suicide bombers tried to attack peshmerga positions, but no casualties were reported — the Rudaw correspondent said the bombers were surround and detonated explosives rather than face capture.

Peshmerga commanders expressed optimism that Bashiqa will be taken later today, saying there are only 40-50 ISIS fighters remaining.

ISIS had dug multiple trenches for cover in its effort to hold the town. Iraqi Kurdish President Masoud Barzani declared last week that the offensive was also taking its time because of concerns about booby traps and other explosives.

Masrour Barzani, the head of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Security Council, said on Sunday:

The fight against ISIS is going to be a long fight. Not only militarily but also economically, ideologically….

As they are getting more desperate, expectations are that they might fight more fiercely as you close in….There are many different IEDs [improvised explosive devices] that they put in different places, come up with different tactics. Many that are used like networks.

Bashiqa is notable for its diverse population, with a majority of Yezidis and Shabaks and a minority of Assyrians and Arabs.

A well-placed local source said the Bashiqa attack will be the last major offensive operation by the peshmerga, leaving the move into Mosul to Iraqi forces.

Closing on Three Fronts

The capture of Bashiqa would be a notable success on a second front for the Iraqi-Kurdish offensive, now in its fourth week. Iraqi forces are now in the eastern districts of Mosul, about 7 km (4 miles) from the center, but they are facing Islamic State counter-attacks.

See Iraq Feature: Islamic State Counter-Attacks in East of Mosul

To the south, Iraqi forces and Federal Police have finally begun a notable advance. On Monday, they claimed the capture of the town of Hammam al-Alil, on the Tigris River about 15 km (9 miles) from the outskirts of Mosul.