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August 20th, 2017 
Awake Goy 
nsnbc : In the early hours of Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of operations by security forces to take the predominantly Turkmen city of Tal Afar from the Islamic State. Fighting is currently in the early stages and fierce.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi armed forces, announces the launch of Tal Afar operation. Photo: PM media office
Announcing the start of the operation via Twitter on Sunday morning, Al-Abadi said “As we announce the start of operations to liberate Tal Afar, we salute the heroic Iraqi forces who fight to bring victory, freedom and peace.
In an address to the Iraqi nation broadcast via television Al-Abadi said “Sons of our great nation, you will witness another promise being achieved. The city of Tal Afar will be liberated and will join all other liberated cities. … My message to Daesh: You have no option, you either surrender or die”.
Brett McGurk, U.S. representative to the international coalition against ISIS met with Al-Abadi in the hours prior to al-Abadi’s announcement. McGurk used his Twitter account to state “In Baghdad tonight to consult with PM Abadi and other Iraqi leaders on upcoming efforts to destroy ISIS in its last few pockets in Iraq.”
By 8:52 a.m. local time the Hashd al-Shaabi – predominantly Shiite self-defense militia – announced that their forces are advancing through three fronts southwest of Tal Afar, adding that their artillery and also Iraqi helicopters are pounding the first ISIS defensive lines.
Iraq’s Joint Command, for its part, has reiterated on Sunday morning that the US-trained Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), the Federal Police, the Rapid Response Force, the Iraqi Army, and Hashd al-Shaabi are taking part in the operation.
Lt. Gen. Abdulamir Rashid Yarallah who commanded Nineveh Operations until the liberation of Mosul in July, is now titled the commander of the ‘We are Coming Tal Afar’ operation. Iraq’s War Media Cell urged all citizens on Saturday in the areas around Tal Afar to tune their radios to 104.5 FM in order to receive information. An estimated 50,000 people are still believed to be trapped in the city of Tal Afar.
Turkey, which considers Tal Afar a Turkmen city, is opposed to the participation of the predominantly Shiite – Iranian-backed Hashd forces entering the city. The Hashd, which says it has an armed force of over 100,000 fighters, began its offensive southwest and west of Mosul on October 29, almost two weeks after the start of the Mosul operation by the Iraqi and Kurdish forces. Mosul was declared liberated on June 10 after a fierce nine-month battle between Iraqi security forces (ISF) and ISIS in the city with Hashd and Peshmerga securing outlying towns and areas.
By about 9:30 a.m. Iraqi Federal Police, backed by Iraqi helicopters, has claimed that it recaptured al-Ibrah al-Saghira on Sunday morning, making it the first area to come under the Iraqi control since they launched the operation to recapture the predominantly Turkmen city. Gen. Raed Shaker Jawdat, commander of the Federal Police, said in a statement that their forces continue to advance west of Tal Afar towards al-Sa’ad, al-Zahra, and al-Wahda.
By about 12:30 a.m. local time Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitary units have announced the liberation of Tal al-Sabban village, west of Tal Afar. Hashd stated it was in cooperation with the Iraqi security forces without giving further details. Meanwhile, the Hashd has said they have Ibra al-Shimaliya village surrounded in preparation to storm it. Fighting is in the early stages and intense already and it will most likely increase in intensity as the battle comes closer to fortifications around the city and in the inner city of Tal Afar. The city is one of the main remaining pockets of ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Tal Afar is located west of Mosul and about 60 kilometers from the Iraqi – Syrian border.
CH/L – nsnbc 20.08.2017
Source Article from https://nsnbc.me/2017/08/20/iraqi-pm-al-abadi-announces-operation-to-liberate-turkmen-city-of-tal-afar-from-isis/
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