Iraqi Forces Retake Three Villages South-west Tal Afar



Tal Afar Operations Command announced on Saturday the liberation of three villages in south-west of Tal Afar district from the Islamic State (IS) organization.


Major Ali al-Bayati, a Commander of Tal Afar Operations, told BasNews that Iraqi army’s 16 Division forces and Hashd al-Shaabi militia managed to liberate three farming villages after clashes during which about 20 IS militants, including suicide bombers, were killed.


Al-Bayati added "the Iraqi army forces opened safe corridors for the civilians in those villages before launching the attack.”


He noted that their forces managed to arrest 7 people inside the third village.
Moreover, the Commander of Nineveh Operations, Abdul Amir Yaralla, said on Friday that the troops have so far retaken 16 neighbourhoods in Tel Afar.


The operation to clear Tal Afar from the IS militants began on August 20. Ever since, the Iraqi troops have made rapid territorial gains against the militant group which has been invading the city since 2014.

LINK