Iraqi paramilitary forces have been ordered to retake the town of Tal Afar and prevent ISIL Takfiri groupfrom fleeing west from Mosul towards Syria, a spokesman said Tuesday.

The Hashed al-Shaabi or Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella organization for the paramilitary volunteer forces, has played major roles in previous battles against ISIL, but has been largely on the sidelines since the operation to retake Mosul was announced last week.

The PMF leadership has ordered “us to assume the mission of liberating the Tal Afar district,” Jawwad al-Tulaibawi, spokesman for the Asaib Ahl al-Haq force, said in a statement.

The Hashed’s mission will be to “cut off and prevent the escape of (ISIL) toward Syria and fully isolate Mosul from Syria,” Tulaibawi told AFP.

“We expect that it will be a difficult and fierce battle,” he said.

Tal Afar was overrun by ISIL Takfiris in 2014, and its recapture is a main goal of the volunteer forces.

Iraq announced the launch of the operation to retake Mosul on October 17, and have been advancing towards the city from the south, east and north. Mosul is now the last ISIL-held city in Iraq.

ISIL seized large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi allied forces have since regained significant ground.

Source: AFP