Iraqi Forces Attack The Islamic State Stronghold Of Tal Afar

The Guardian: Iraqi forces advance on Isis-held city of Tal Afar

Military leaders are confident of recapturing one of the last remaining Islamic State strongholds in the country but humanitarian groups fear for civilians

Iraqi forces have pushed into the outskirts of one of the last Islamic State-held areas in the country – the north-western city of Tal Afar.

The operation comes just over a month after Mosul was retaken from the terror group, ending a three-year rule over Iraq’s second city and confining the extremists to ever-shrinking pockets of the country, stretching to the Syrian border.

Up to 1,500 Isis members are believed to remain in Tal Afar, which has been besieged by Iraqi and Kurdish forces for much of the past year. The extremists’ ranks are thought to contain large numbers of foreign fighters, some of whom had fled the fight for Mosul. Others are thought to have spent many months digging in for the expected assault.

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More News On Iraqi Forces Attacking The Islamic State Stronghold Of Tal Afar

Iraqi forces close in on IS-held town west of Mosul -- ABC News/AP
Iraqi forces close in on Daesh-held Tal Afar -- Gulf News/AFP
IS conflict: Iraq army makes advances on Tal Afar -- BBC
Iraq: Islamic State militants warned 'surrender or die' as battle to take back Tal Afar begins -- ABC News Online
Iraqi Forces Attack Tal Afar, Make Gains -- Asharq Al-awsat
Foreign IS members killed as troops target group’s locations in Tal Afar -- Iraqi News
Iraqi Army, Militias Establish Control Over Mosul-Tal Afar Road -- Sputnik
Thousands flee as Iraqi forces advance on ISIL-held Tal Afar – UN -- UN News Centre
The battle for Tal Afar and why Shiite militias are involved -- Florian Neuhof, The National