iraqi forces close in on isheld tal afar
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Iraqi forces close in on IS-held Tal Afar

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Iraqi forces close in on IS-held Tal Afar

The Iraqi government announced the beginning of a military operation to retake Tal Afar from the Islamic State group
Tal Al-Hessan - Al Maghrib Today

Iraqi forces closed in Monday on Tal Afar on the second day of an offensive against the last major bastion of the Islamic State group in the country's north, seizing several villages around the city.

In the desert plains around Tal Afar, convoys of tanks and armoured vehicles could be seen heading for the jihadist-held city, raising huge clouds of dust.

The offensive launched at dawn Sunday comes only weeks after Iraqi forces retook second city Mosul from IS and as the jihadists also face assaults on their positions in neighbouring Syria.

Tal Afar was once a major supply hub between Mosul and the Syrian border and capturing it would be another major blow to IS's self-declared "caliphate" that once controlled large areas straddling Syria and Iraq.

The Iraqi army, federal police and counter-terrorism forces backed by 20,000 fighters from the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary group launched the offensive on Tal Afar.

They are battling IS on three fronts -- the west, south and southeast -- and commanders have told AFP they expect to tighten the noose on the jihadists by edging closer to the gates of the city.

The federal police said its forces had retaken five villages on the western front, with its chief Raed Shakir Jawdat saying they were only "a few hundred metres from Al-Kifah", the nearest western neighbourhood of the city.

The Iran-backed Hashed said its fighters had advanced to the edges of Tal Afar's western suburbs and Iraq's Joint Operations Command said counter-terrorism units had taken five villages from the southwest and "raised the Iraqi flag".

Iraqi forces have been pounding IS with mortar fire after weeks of air strikes to weaken the fighters who overran Tal Afar in 2014.

In an indication of their next target, Iraqi planes on Sunday and Monday dropped leaflets on the town of Hawijah to the south, urging residents to prepare as "retaking your city is the next goal of the armed forces".

The jihadists also still hold areas of the vast western desert province of Anbar, including the Al-Qaim area on the border with war-ravaged Syria.

- Concern for civilians -

The battle for Tal Afar, the last major population centre in northern Iraq under jihadist control, has sparked fears for thousands of civilians trapped inside.

The US-led coalition fighting IS in Iraq and Syria says between 10,000 and 50,000 civilians are estimated to be in and around Tal Afar.

UN humanitarian coordinator Lise Grande said Monday: "Families have walked for up to 20 hours in extreme heat to escape Tal Afar," which was running out of food and water.

Up to 40,000 people have already fled the area of fighting.

When IS captured Tal Afar, the population was estimated at around 200,000 and was overwhelmingly Turkmen, one of Iraq's largest ethnic minorities.

- 'Leave or die' -

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the Tal Afar offensive in a pre-dawn televised speech Sunday, warning IS jihadists that they had "no choice other than to leave or be killed".

"We have won all our battles, and Daesh have always lost," he said, wearing black military fatigues and using an Arabic name for the group.

The US-led coalition welcomed the start of the assault and pledged its continued support for Iraqi forces battling the jihadists.

The "operation to liberate Tal Afar is another important fight that must be won to ensure the country and its citizens are finally free of ISIS", the head of the anti-IS coalition Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend said in a statement, using another acronym for IS.

bur-sbh/mm-hc/srm

Humanitarian Coordinator Lise Grande said that families have walked for up to 20 hours in extreme heat to escape Tal Afar, which is running out of food and water.

Up to 40,000 people have already left the district. The UN and its partners do not know how many are still left in the area where there is fighting, but we are preparing for thousands more to flee in the coming days and weeks.

Source: AFP

almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

iraqi forces close in on isheld tal afar iraqi forces close in on isheld tal afar

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

iraqi forces close in on isheld tal afar iraqi forces close in on isheld tal afar

 



Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017

GMT 09:22 2018 Monday ,22 January

Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way

GMT 11:03 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Modern colorful bedroom renovation

GMT 10:57 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Modern colorful bedroom renovation
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president

GMT 13:56 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 10:47 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

Turkey detains dozens more
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today The Rake announces editorial updates

GMT 10:46 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

The Rake announces editorial updates
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Europe brings on charm and blue skies

GMT 11:51 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Europe brings on charm and blue skies
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today For the Variety of Interior Design Styles

GMT 10:46 2017 Tuesday ,19 December

For the Variety of Interior Design Styles
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today US Christian tourists see deep meaning

GMT 13:44 2018 Monday ,22 January

US Christian tourists see deep meaning
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Amazon to open first cashierless shop

GMT 10:03 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Amazon to open first cashierless shop

GMT 07:43 2017 Monday ,16 October

'Final phase' of battle for Raqa

GMT 07:58 2011 Monday ,17 October

Chinese stocks close 0.37 pct higher Monday

GMT 13:38 2011 Friday ,11 November

Tips to great skin and hair

GMT 16:57 2017 Tuesday ,24 January

Bahrain condemns attack on market

GMT 19:36 2017 Thursday ,13 April

Despite warning, Assad regime uses barrel bombs

GMT 18:42 2017 Tuesday ,11 April

Muscat Securities Market Loses 29 Points

GMT 11:44 2014 Saturday ,01 November

Arab League council to hold emergency meeting Sunday

GMT 09:21 2011 Monday ,17 October

Tulisa showed on X Factor

GMT 18:08 2017 Tuesday ,17 January

Jordanian Royal Decree Approves Cabinet Reshuffle

GMT 09:07 2011 Sunday ,12 June

Israel to allow limited goods into Gaza

GMT 12:16 2011 Saturday ,18 June

Marilyn Monroe dress stars in Hollywood sale

GMT 13:42 2011 Sunday ,30 October

Watermelon helps reduce atherosclerosis

GMT 21:45 2017 Thursday ,27 April

US dollar exchange rate stable at major banks

GMT 13:20 2018 Monday ,01 January

Lewis Hamilton Instagram account emptied

GMT 22:09 2017 Monday ,24 July

'Dunkirk' captures N. American box office

GMT 02:55 2017 Sunday ,30 April

EU tightens Brexit demands on residence, banks

GMT 10:46 2015 Sunday ,11 January

DWTC to welcome over 130,000 visitors

GMT 06:35 2017 Friday ,15 December

Mennat-Allah underlines importance of landscapes

GMT 15:10 2011 Monday ,20 June

American woman locks horns with \'employer\'
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
 
 Almaghrib Today Facebook,almaghrib today facebook  Almaghrib Today Twitter,almaghrib today twitter Almaghrib Today Rss,almaghrib today rss  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

.almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday almaghribtoday almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday