▁the ▁Y PG ▁had ▁er upt ed ▁to ▁the ▁east ▁of ▁Al - Has ak ah ▁city , ▁as ▁I SI L ▁was ▁trying ▁to ▁prevent ▁Kur d ish ▁forces ▁from ▁reaching ▁one ▁of ▁its ▁last ▁remaining ▁strong holds ▁in ▁al - H aw l . ▁The ▁cl ash es ▁from ▁ 5 – 6 ▁March ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁death s ▁of ▁ 1 1 ▁more ▁Y PG ▁f igh ters . ▁ ▁On ▁ 7 ▁March , ▁I SI L ▁launched ▁a ▁massive ▁attack ▁on ▁villages ▁around ▁Tell ▁T amer , ▁with ▁fear s ▁I SI L ▁milit ants ▁would ▁use ▁the ▁kid n apped ▁Ass y ri ans ▁as ▁human ▁shield s . ▁The ▁attack ▁began ▁around ▁dawn ▁and ▁target ed ▁at ▁least ▁three ▁villages ▁on ▁the ▁northern ▁bank ▁of ▁the ▁K hab ur ▁River , ▁with ▁I SI L ' s ▁aim ▁being ▁to ▁capture ▁Tell ▁T amer ▁and ▁secure ▁a ▁cor rid or ▁to ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁border . ▁The ▁next ▁day , ▁I SI L ▁advanced ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁town ▁and ▁heavy ▁fighting ▁en su ed , ▁but ▁Kur d ish ▁rein for c ements ▁arrived ▁and ▁they ▁managed ▁to ▁rep el ▁the ▁milit ants . ▁The ▁cl ash es ▁left ▁ 4 0 ▁dead ▁on ▁both ▁sides . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁I SI L ▁launched ▁an ▁assault ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁re capt ure ▁several ▁villages ▁between ▁Tell ▁B rak ▁and ▁al - H aw l , ▁which ▁was ▁also ▁rep elled , ▁with ▁the