Iraqi Forces Recapture Almost All Of Islamic State-Held Tal Afar

Iraqi forces have taken the urban centre of the Islamic State-held town of Tal Afar, giving the government near full control of the city.

A statement released by the Iraqi military said, after eight days of fighting, all 29 neighbourhoods have been taken back from the militant group.

Tal Afar is about 93 miles from the Syrian border and is strategic as one of the jihadists' last remaining strongholds in Iraq.

Ongoing fighting is still being reported in al-'Ayadiya, a small area 11 kilometres northwest of the city, where militants have fled. 

Last Sunday US-backed Iraqi troops launched a multi-pronged operation to retake Tal Afar, a month after declaring Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, fully liberated.

The militants still control the northern town of Hawija as well as Qaim, Rawa and Ana, in western Iraq near the Syrian border.