Iraq’s prime minister declared the town of Tal Afar “fully liberated” from the Islamic State group after a nearly two-week operation. With the fall of Tal Afar, all of Ninevah province is “in the hands of our brave troops,” he said. The announcement on Tal Afar came a day after Jordan and Iraq reopened their only border crossing after a two-year closure. Iraqi state TV interrupted its regular programs and played national songs, showing a live feed from Tal Afar, where soldiers danced and celebrated the victory. Islamic State defenses in Tal Afar collapsed much more quickly than expected.

Source: Washington Post August 31, 2017 12:09 UTC