Alwaght- Iraqi army has launched a large-scale operation to liberate Tal Afar city from ISIS terrorist group, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
Spokesman for Iraq’s Defense Ministry, announced that the country's Air Force began the liberation operation by conducting airstrikes on ISIS positions in the northern city of Tal Afar.
Mohammed al-Khudari stressed that the ground offensive to retake Tal Afar, located 70 kilometers west of Mosul, will start following the completion of those strikes.
Following the start of the offensive, a local source said that six large explosions rocked several areas in Tal Afar. One of the blasts reportedly hit a workshop used to manufacture explosives in the west of the city.
ISIS occupied Tal Afar, which has a population of around 200,000, in 2014. According to Major General Najim Abdullah al-Jubouri , Commander of Mosul Offensive, there are an estimated of 1500-2000 ISIS terrorists holed up in Tal Afar.
A high-ranking official of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), also known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Shaabi, said on Monday that the pro-government fighters will actively participate alongside other security forces in the operation to liberate the Tal Afar.
PMF also played active role in Mosul Liberation Operation to liberate Mosul from ISIS early last month, following a two-phased Iraqi military offensive, which first began in October 2016.
