Friday, March 29, 2024

Baghdad

Troops retake more areas at Islamic State’s last Tal Afar shelter

 Troops retake more areas at Islamic State’s last Tal Afar shelter

Members of al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces). File photo.

Members of al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces). File photo.

Tal Afar (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi army forces and allied paramilitary troops have made more advances at the last Islamic State entrenchment in Tal Afar town hours after commanders said the enclave became under their full control.

Popular Mobilization Forces, the paramilitary force fighting the Islamic State by the government’s side, said through their media that its troops, joining government army forces, took over “Ayyadiya farms” and “Mohaled al-Khalaf” farmlands, east  ad south of the region where Iraqi commanders say the remaining militants are besieged.

The government declared the launch of Tal Afar operations on August 20th. Iraqi military commanders have reported daily advances and retaking of Islamic State-held territories since Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered the launch of offensives.

Military commanders said Sunday the town was totally recaptured, with the militants cornered at Ayyadiya in the northwest. They had estimated the total number of fighters by up to 2000, and said hours earlier that 288 had been killed since the start of the offensive.

Past operations by the PMF had managed, until the end of June, to isolate Tal Afar from the Syrian borders and from the rest of Nineveh.

The United Nations says more than 30.000 were displaced as operations launched for the enclave.

 

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