CAIRO (Reuters) - Iraqi troops and popular mobilization forces began shelling Peshmerga positions from Zummar in northern Nineveh province, the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) said on Thursday.

The KRSC urged Iraqi forces to withdraw from nearby areas and accept the Kurdistan Regional Government’s offer for unconditional talks to settle political differences in a statement issued hours before the offensive began.

It also called on the United States government to “stop Iraq’s reckless behavior”.

(This version of the story corrects headline to make clear that attack was launched from Zummar, not in Zummar)