{"id":47329,"date":"2017-08-23T03:03:52","date_gmt":"2017-08-23T03:03:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2017\/08\/23\/iraqi-troops-push-into-isis-held-town-west-of-mosul\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:25:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:25:16","slug":"iraqi-troops-push-into-isis-held-town-west-of-mosul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/08\/23\/iraqi-troops-push-into-isis-held-town-west-of-mosul\/","title":{"rendered":"Iraqi troops push into ISIS-held town west of Mosul"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BAGHDAD \u2014 Iraqi troops on Tuesday reached the first urban areas of the northern town of Tal Afar on the third day of a multi-pronged operation to retake it from the Islamic State group, a military commander said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S.-trained special forces entered the al-Kifah neighborhood on the southwest edge of town, Lt. Gen. Abdul-Amir Rasheed Yar Allah, who commands the operation, said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brig. Gen. Haider Fadhil, of the Iraqi special forces, told The Associated Press that the advancing troops faced little resistance from ISIS fighters, though they did mine the approaches, fire rockets and dispatch suicide car bombers against the advancing forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fadhil expected the fighting to get even heavier as they push into the town\u2019s center, which is about 4.5 kilometers (3 miles) away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his weekly press conference, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi described Tuesday\u2019s progress as \u201cexcellent,\u201d calling it an \u201cindication of the enemy\u2019s collapse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t