World Bulletin/News Desk

The first batch of Iraqi Peshmerga forces that were sent to fight in the Syrian town of Kobani in October through Turkey have returned, official sources said.

According to sources, a convoy of seven minibuses carrying the Peshmerga entered Turkey’s southeastern Sanliurfa province Thursday.

They are expected to soon fly back to Iraq’s Erbil city.

The batch was replaced by fresh troops Tuesday.

The Iraqi Peshmerga fighters in Kobani are fighting alongside Syrian Kurdish groups against the ISIL.

The Iraqi army and Peshmerga have been battling the ISIL in Iraq since mid-June, when the fighters took control of Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq. The militant group is now said to be in control of large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.