skyline here. sinjar itself, the subject it seems to be four plumes of thick, black smoke that haven't stopped. there was optimism this fight would take days, hours from some kurdish officials but at dawn when the operation began in earnest but that has looked up. they're slowed down by mines and isis who simply don't to want give up this road. back to you. >> nick paton walsh near the front lines of this battle that's going on as we speak. our viewers, you will remember this heart-wrenching scene from sinjar last year. this is when thousands of people that were living in and around the town, they ran for their lives as isis moved in. our correspondent ivan watson was aboard when the helicopters that went in and ended up flying out as many people they could fit on board. you see babies being handed on there. u.n. estimates 5,000 men and boys have been slaughtered by isis there and young girls and women sold into slavery. >> joining us now retired brigadier who returned from iraq