12 ISIS Bad Guys left pining for the fjords in Tal Afar
Tal Afar (IraqiNews.com) The U.S.-led coalition launched air raids against Islamic State locations in Tal Afar town, west of Mosul, an Iraqi army officer was quoted saying.
Speaking to Shafaq News, Lt.Gen. Thiyab Abdullah al-Amri said twelve militants, including prominent leaders, were killed as coalition F-16 jets targeted the town early on Tuesday
In related news, a local source from Nineveh said six powerful blasts hit several areas in the town.
“Six huge blasts occurred in Tal Afar as fighter jets were flying above the town,” the source told AlSumaria News.
“Confirmed news indicated targeting a workshop used to manufacturing explosives,” the source, who preferred anonymity, said, adding that losses among the enemy are still unidentified.
Meanwhile, the group reportedly ordered a sudden ban of women’s presence at its headquarters in the town.
“IS made a sudden decision on Tuesday banning women’s presence at its headquarters in the town and removed the detachments run by women, especially those near to districts where senior leaders live,” a source told AlSumaria.
The group, according to the source, “prevented families from moving to any district without permission from the security department,” the source said indicating chaotic situation within the group.
IS depends on women in many of its departments, detachments, controlling the markets and gathering information.
2 Iraqi kops die in small arms attack in Tal al-Romman region
Mosul (IraqiNews.com) Two Federal Police personnel were killed and injured in an armed attack in western Mosul, an Iraqi informed security source was quoted saying.
“Unknown gunmen attacked a Federal Police checkpoint in Tal al-Romman region in western Mosul, killing one policeman and injuring the other before escaping toward unidentified destination,” Lieutenant Ali Ahmed al-Ramadani, of Federal Police, told Anadolu Agency.
The perpetrators belong to the Islamic State cells which seek destabilizing the liberated regions, Ramadani said.
In related news, Cap. Ibrahim Raad al-Saher, of Federal Police’s engineering department, told Anadolu that “troops, in coordination with senior military official exploded two booby-trapped houses to prevent losses among civilians or troops, in case they were left undetonated.”
“The explosion took place after more than ten hours of work as the personnel could not defuse the explosives being developed ones,” Saher added.
Iraqi Jets Pound ISIL Posts in Tal Afar
[AlManar] Iraqi warplanes carried out air strikes Tuesday against ISIL positions in Tal Afar in preparation for a ground assault to retake the town near the Syrian border, the military said.
Tal Afar is the main remaining ISIL stronghold in northern Iraq, after the capture by Iraqi forces in July of second city Mosul further east in a major blow to the Takfiri insurgents.
“Preparations are under way pending instructions from the commander in chief (Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi)” for the launch of the assault, said a spokesman for Iraq’s Joint Operation Command (JOC).
The spokesman, Yahiya Rassul, said that although the main offensive to retake Tal Afar had not yet begun, the air force was pounding insurgents’ positions in the town.
Plans to retake Tal Afar were announced on Monday by federal police chief Lieutenant General Raed Shakir Jawdat, who said “armored and elite units” were headed for the town.
The units, whose number has not been specified, were “regrouping in combat positions in preparation for the next battle,” he said in a statement.
Joining them is the Hashed al-Shaabi, paramilitary units deployed since 2014 to halt the Takfiri advance.
“Hashed al-Shaabi commanders met Saturday with army and police commanders to decide on the plan to free Tal Afar,” spokesman Ahmed al-Assadi said.