Iraqi forces retake two districts of IS bastion

Iraqi forces on Tuesday recaptured from the Islamic State ( IS) group the first two districts of jihadist bastion Tal Afar, as the Pentagon chief visited Baghdad in a show of support.

The UN said thousands of civilians have fl ed Tal Afar in the two days since the start of the broad off ensive backed by the US- led coalition fighting IS.

In remarks before meeting in Baghdad with Prime Minister Haider al- Abadi, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said he wanted to keep the spotlight on eradicating the jihadists.

“Right now our focus is on defeating ISIS inside Iraq, restoring Iraqi sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said the Pentagon chief, using an alternative acronym for IS.

Iraqi troops, supported by the forces of a US-led international coalition, routed IS in Mosul in July after a gruelling nine- month fight for Iraq’s second city.

They launched the off ensive on Sunday to recapture Tal Afar, once a key IS supply hub between Mosul – around 70 kilometers to the east – and the Syrian border.

The jihadists inside Tal Afar, estimated to number around 1,000, responded with artillery fire Tuesday as the Iraqi forces massed outside the city. Army, police and units of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary coalition later took “full control” of Al- Kifah and Al- Nur districts in Tal Afar, the Hashed said.