The predominantly-Kurdish residents of a town 67 kilometers south of Erbil fled due to fighting between Peshmerga forces and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) forces on Wednesday. The residents of the town of Makhmur fled 70 kilometres northeast to Erbil, despite the fact that Peshmerga forces repelled the militants, according to Colonel of Peshmerga forces Ferit Mugdat, who added that the clashes took place at around 19:00 local time. Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani urged the public to be calm in a statement released after the attack on Wednesday. "We reassure the people of Kurdistan that Peshmerga forces are succeeding in Sinjar (a town in northwestern Iraq near the Syrian border that came under attack from ISIL militants on Saturday)," said Barzani. The ISIL-led militants seized control of Sinjar after fierce clashes, which saw Kurdish Peshmerga forces withdraw from the region they had protected since insurgents overran Mosul and the surrounding localities in June.
PM Barzani also stated that the government's request is for the people to not be scared, as "we have to believe that the enemies of Kurdistan will be completely defeated. I assure our people that it will happen".
Barzani urged Kurds to stay calm and continue living their normal life. He also urged the people to support Peshmerga forces.
KRG Ministry of Interior also released a statement calling on Kurds to be strong.