Iraqi Shiite Militia Clears Villages in Northwest From Daesh Fighters

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Hashd al-Shaabi, the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces Shia militia, has already driven the jihadists of the Daesh terrorist group from all the settlements in the vicinity of the northwestern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, a commander of a group of the Turkmens fighting in the ranks of Hashd al-Shaabi told Sputnik on Tuesday.

"During the operation to liberate Tal Afar all neighboring villages and settlements have been cleared form jihadists. We can say that Tal Afar is surrounded," Ali Ebu Tahir said.

He added that the militia had been waiting for the liberation of Mosul in order to receive reinforcements from the troops participating in the operation and to start operation against Daesh fighters in Tal Afar.

The Daesh, which is a militant jihadist group outlawed in many countries including Russia, overran large parts of Syria and Iraq, including Mosul and Tal Afar, in 2014. On October 17, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of a military operation to retake Mosul. According to local media, thousands of Iraqi soldiers, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Shia militia troops are taking part in the operation, backed by the US-led international coalition's airstrikes.

Later in October, Shiite militia expressed intention to retake Tal Afar, which is situated some 30 miles from Mosul, and hence to prevent the escape of Daesh militants to Syria.