▁south west ▁of ▁the ▁region , ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁P esh mer ga ▁forces ▁launch ing ▁the ▁Sin jar ▁off ensive . ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁off ensive ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁December , ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁I SI L - occup ied ▁villages ▁near ▁J az ' ah ▁had ▁come ▁under ▁Y PG ▁assault . ▁ ▁The ▁off ensive ▁ ▁The ▁off ensive ▁started ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁next ▁day , ▁the ▁Kur ds ▁quickly ▁advanced ▁within ▁five ▁kilom eters ▁of ▁Tal ▁Ham is , ▁after ▁capt uring ▁ 2 3 ▁far ms ▁and ▁villages ▁near ▁the ▁A bo ▁Q as ay eb ▁area . ▁Their ▁assault ▁was ▁back ed ▁up ▁by ▁U . S . ▁and ▁al lied ▁Arab ▁air ▁support . ▁Also , ▁near ▁the ▁border ▁with ▁Ira q , ▁the ▁Y PG ▁captured ▁two ▁villages . ▁The ▁Kur d ish ▁P esh mer ga ▁forces ▁in ▁Ira q ▁sh elled ▁I SI L ▁positions ▁across ▁the ▁border , ▁in ▁coord ination ▁with ▁the ▁Y PG ▁during ▁their ▁advance . ▁In ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁Kur d ish ▁off ensive , ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁February , ▁I SI L ▁launched ▁a ▁massive ▁attack ▁on ▁a ▁cluster ▁of ▁villages ▁along ▁the ▁southern ▁bank ▁of ▁the ▁K hab ur ▁River ▁around ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Tell ▁T amer , ▁using ▁around ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁f igh ters ▁and ▁multiple ▁t anks , ▁se izing ▁ 1 1 ▁villages ▁and