Jihadists seize Iraqi town of Sinjar from Kurds: officials

Sunday, 3 August, 2014 , 10:36

SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq, Aug 03, 2014 (AFP) — Fighters from the Islamic State jihadist group on Sunday wrested control of the northwestern Iraqi town of Sinjar, near the Syrian border, from Kurdish forces, Kurdish officials said.

"The (Kurdish) peshmerga have withdrawn from Sinjar, Daash has entered the city," Kheiri Sinjari told AFP, using IS' former Arabic acronym.

"They have raised their flag above government buildings," the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party official said.