Over 1,400 Islamic State militants in Tal Afar: Military
Islamic State militants.
In remarks on Sunday, Brig.Gen. Yehia Rasool, spokesperson of the Iraqi military, said most of the militants in Tal Afar are from Arab countries. Few people of the locals are involved with the group. He also indicated crackdown on the militants to prevent them flee toward Syria.
Safe passageways were allowed by troops so civilians can flee the town, he said adding that many people were displaced over the past few days.
Rasool denied fierce resistance by the group, explaining that the battles are taking place in open areas since fighting inside the town will be hard. Military troops destroyed the enemy’s defense lines and killed.
Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced in a televised speech on Sunday the beginning of offensive to recapture the town, which has been held by the militants since 2014, when the extremist group first emerged to proclaim its self-styled ‘caliphate’.
Tal Afar is one of the important strongholds still held by IS in Nineveh since August 2014, when the militants occupied a third of Iraq to proclaim its self-styled “caliphate”.