American IS militant 'captured' by Kurdish Peshmerga fighters

American IS militant 'captured' by Kurdish Peshmerga fighters
Video: Peshmerga forces captured an Islamic State group militant on Monday who claims to be an American citizen.
2 min read
14 March, 2016
Kurdish Peshmerga forces captured an alleged Islamic State group fighter with US nationality on Monday.

A video has emerged showing the capture of the alleged militant in an area that separates the northern Iraqi city of Mosul from the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region.

A high ranking official in the Peshmerga forces told The New Arab that a "member of Daesh (IS) who holds American nationality was detained at 5:30am (Iraq time) on Monday". 

He had reportedly approached Peshmerga positions at the frontline between Nineveh province and the Kurdistan region.

The Kurdish official, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that the US citizen is being interrogated by security forces. 

He added that the US consulate in Erbil and coalition forces have both been informed.

Local Kurdish online sites affiliated with the Kurdistan regional government leaked video footage showing the man being questioned by Kurdish fighters.

The alleged IS militant appears in the video handcuffed and visibly nervous, surrounded by a group of Peshmerga fighters.

One of the Peshmerga officers asks him about his identity and where he came from, during the interrogation.

The militant appears to have an American accent and says he came to Mosul in northern Iraq from the state of Virginia in the United States, as he stares at the ground.

We have been unable to confirm the authenticity of the video.