Kurdish Peshmerga forces "will not retreat from areas retaken" from Islamic State militants in Iraq, Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani said on Wednesday, according to local Rudaw TV station.
Peshmerga fighters are taking part in the war on Islamic State, backing the Iraqi government forces battling the ultra hardline Sunni group in their last major city stronghold Mosul. The US-led coalition is also providing air and ground support. Barzani's comment appeared to indicate that the Kurds are keen to expand their autonomous region in northern Iraq to include surrounding villages and towns captured by them from Islamic State.