News / Iraq

Iraqi government forces, allies liberate two districts in Tal Afar

Wednesday, 23 August 2017 1:58 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 23 August 2017 5:40 PM ]

Iraqi pro-government fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units gather with Iraqi army soldiers on the outskirts of Tal Afar, Iraq, on August 22, 2017. (Photos by Reuters)

Iraqi army soldiers, backed by allied fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units, have regained complete control over two more neighborhoods in Tal Afar as they are pushing to drive Daesh Takfiri terrorists out of the northern city in a multi-pronged operation.

The commander of the Tal Afar liberation operation, Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Yarallah, announced in a statement that federal police forces and fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units, commonly known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Shaabi, have retaken Northern al-Kifah and Southern al-Kifah neighborhoods in the city, located 63 kilometers west of Mosul, inflicting heavy losses on Daesh militants and their military equipment.

Government forces and their allies raised the Iraqi national flag over several buildings in the liberated areas after the operations.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command stated that members of the Counter-Terrorism Service had established full control over Mulla Jassim and Wairan villages on the outskirts of Tal Afar.

Separately, soldiers from the 9th Armored Division of the Army and 2nd, 11th and 26th brigades of Hashd al-Shaabi have seized back al-Tanak district east of Tel Afar from Daesh extremists.

A security source, requesting anonymity, also told Arabic-language al-Sumaria television network that Daesh had ordered its elements in Tal Afar to burn all fortifications of the terror group there, and move to other places.

Iraqi pro-government fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units (Hashd al-Shaabi) launch a rocket towards Daesh Takfiri militants on the outskirts of Tal Afar, Iraq, on August 22, 2017.

There are also reports that Iraqi army soldiers and Hashd al-Shaabi fighters have liberated 75 percent of land in al-Jazeera district southeast of Tal Afar.

The International Organization for Migration said in a statement on Tuesday that nearly 3,200 individuals had fled Tal Afar to two refugee camps south of Mosul over the past four days.

“These internally displaced persons carried a minimal amount of clothes; some only had what they wore, some were partially clothed,” the statement said, adding that thousands more are expected to flee in the coming days.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says it has received around 1,500 families, or some 9,000 people, from Tel Afar at the Hamman al-Alil displacement camp in the past week.

The UN refugee agency also says it is making preparations to accommodate around 30,000 more refugees from the city within the next few days.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk