Iraqi army
© REUTERS/ Stringer
Iraqi government forces supported by local militias have liberated all of Tal Afar's neighborhoods from Daesh just a week after the start of the counterterrorist offensive in the city, operation commander Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Rashid Yaralla said Sunday.

On Saturday, Iraqi Army Brig. Gen. Najim Jubouri told Sputnik that the country's military has liberated Tal Afar and its neighborhoods except for the Askari district.

"The entire neighborhoods of the capital city of Tal Afar district have been liberated," Yaralla said as quoted by the Rudaw news agency.

Yaralla added that Iraqi forces liberated the Askari neighborhood, several northern areas as well as Rahma village near Tal Afar on Sunday.

Iraqi forces are now advancing to the area of Aayaziyah some 7 miles from Tal Afar, which is still controlled by Daesh, the military official noted.

Iraqi government forces started the military offensive in Tal Afar, the last major Daesh stronghold near the Iraqi-Syrian border, on August 20. The city is located some 30 miles away from recently liberated Mosul.