Special to WorldTribune.com

NICOSIA — A leading commander of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is said to have been killed in the battle for Iraq’s Kurdistan.

Kurdish sources have reported that a leading ISIL commander, who headed the movement’s Chechen wing, was killed in fighting near the Mosul dam northwest of the Iraqi city. They said Abu Omar Chechen died in a battle with the Peshmerga, or forces loyal to the Kurdish Regional Government, on Aug. 6.

“Abu Omar was killed with other Chechens from his unit in heavy fighting,” a source said.

The sources said Abu Omar had organized most of the ISIL advance toward Kurdistan. They said he led more than 1,000 fighters, regarded as the best in the Al Qaida-aligned movement, which now controls large parts of Iraq and Syria.

KRG has reported progress in the counter-attack against ISIL. Officials said the Peshmerga mobilized thousands of troops in a multi-pronged assault on ISIL positions around the Kurdish villages of Rabia and Sinjar.

“Many ISIL fighters are leaving Mosul for the south because of Peshmerga pressure,” Peshmerga spokesman Brig. Gen. Hilka Hikmat said.

Hikmat said Kurdish forces were moving to regain all of the towns lost to ISIL in August. He said the Iraq Air Force was supporting Peshmerga by bombing ISIL positions.

  Abu Omar Chechen, Kurdish forces kill ISIL Chechen commander in heavy fighting, Kurdish Regional Government, peshmerga