NEW : Dam is in the hands of Kurdish fighters , not the Islamic State , an official says . Kurdish fighters battled ISIS in an attempt top retake Sinjar -- a small town inhabited by the Yezidi sect -- on Monday and have been engaged in house-to-house battles in some of the fiercest fighting since the fall of Mosul to the Islamic militant group in June , a Kurdish commander said . There has been fierce fighting in the Iraqi town of Dam , close to Syria , a source says . Kurdish fighters are engaged in house - to - house battle with Islamic State , source says . Sinjar fell to ISIS fighters over weekend , police say .
NEW : Dam is in the hands of Kurdish fighters , not the Islamic State , an official says . There has been fierce fighting in the Iraqi town of Dam , close to Syria , a source says . Kurdish fighters are engaged in house - to - house battle with Islamic State , source says . Sinjar fell to ISIS fighters over weekend , police say .