Iraqi army poised to retake city from IS

THE ISLAMIC State (IS) stronghold of Tal Afar, a city and district in the Nineveh Governorate of north-western Iraq, 63km west of Mosul, is about to fall to Iraqi forces, according to its military.

Iraqi forces have almost completely taken over the city, with 29 neighbourhoods now under their control following eight days of intensive fighting, Britain’s Independent newspaper has reported.

Video showed Iraqi soldiers celebrating the recapture on Sunday as they removed IS flags from the city centre and mocked the militants.

Fighting is continuing in Al Ayadiya, 11km north-west of Tal Afar, where the militants fled and are in hiding. When this area has been flushed of the militants and Iraqi forces recapture the entire area, a complete military victory will likely be announced.

The fall of Tal Afar represents another major loss for IS – and a decisive victory for the Iraqi military following the recent liberation of Mosul from IS after months of bloody battle there.

The Islamists declared a self-proclaimed caliphate over parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014.

The Iraqi military operation on Tal Afar, which lies on the supply route between Syria and Mosul, began on August 20 when approximately 2 000 militants attempted to hold off 50 000 attackers, according to Iraqi and Western military sources.

The ability of Iraqi forces to take over much of Tal Afar in such a short time appears to show that the jihadists lack command and control structures, unlike the dragged-out battle to take Mosul.

Furthermore, residents who fled Tal Afar reported that even before the military assault on Tal Afar, many of the militants appeared exhausted and depleted.

The heart of the city was liberated by elite forces on Saturday, subsequent to which the Iraqi flag was raised on the top of the citadel building.

Much of the Ottoman-era structure was destroyed by the militants in 2014.

Tens of thousands of people are believed to have fled in the weeks before battle commenced.