A commander in the elite Zerevani unit of the Peshmerga has told Sky News that Islamic State is suffering considerable setbacks on multiple fronts and can be defeated before the end of the year - if there is a concerted military push across Iraq and Syria.
The Peshmerga - a military force of Iraqi Kurds - has launched a significant operation over the last few days.
It has seen them retake a number of important villages on the Nineveh Plain around the IS stronghold of Mosul.
Sky News is embedded with the Peshmerga and watched as thousands of their fighters moved forward into enemy territory.
