U.S. air troops and the Kurdish Peshmerga forces widened their air campaign on Sunday in an attempt to recapture Mosul Dam from Islamic militants in Iraq, according to reports.

Eyewitnesses said the U.S. carried out airstrikes near the country's largest dam on Saturday, a day after the reported IS massacre of the Yazidis in Kawju. The operation was planned to begin early Saturday with U.S. drones and Kurdish force, CNN confirmed.

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A total of nine airstrikes were carried out, hitting enemy vehicles near the dam and Irbil, the US Central Command said. The attacks destroyed enemy armored vehicles, four armored personnel carriers, two Humvees, and seven armed vehicles. In addition, sources in Mosul said the attack killed 11 Islamic militants. 

On Sunday, the Kurdish ground troops launched an attack. According to reports, the militants retreated by Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, aid and support came in from the international community. More were pledged after the massacre of 80 Yazidis.

The UN Security Council levied sanctions on the IS militants and its backers.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier also flew to Iraq to meet with Yazidi refugees in Irbil.

Aid from Germany is on its way but the country is resolved not to provide arms to anyone involved in the conflict. The UK said they will be sending arms by the end of the month.

For now, U.S. and Kurdish ground forces will carry out operations the recapture of the dam.

The Islamic militants seized Mosul Dam on August 7. Taking control of precious resources in north Iraq was a strategic move for the ISIS, experts say.

The capture of the dam also roused fear of a disastrous flooding among the locals. Since it was seized, nobody knows what the militants have done to its structure, according to reports.

The Dam is located on the River Tigris, 31 miles north of Mosul city. It controls power and water supply in a large part of north Iraq.

TagsMosul Dam, Islamic militants, U.S. and Kurdish force to recapture dam, Yazidi massacre