Tal Afar is the last major stronghold of Islamic State (Daesh) militants on the border between Iraq with Syria to the west of Mosul, which was liberated in early July.
"The shelling targeted several foreign militants including abu Youssef al-Roussi and Abu Youness al-Azri, who is a military leader within the group… A telecommunications center was destroyed and a member known as Saud Qablan was killed. Moreover, the soldiers department was destroyed," the press service said in a statement, as quoted by the Iraq News outlet.
Earlier in the day, the Iraqi armed forces and militia liberated five villages, gained control over a tunnel network dug by Daesh and killed 20 militants.
On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the beginning of the military offensive aimed at retaking Tal Afar, which is located 30 miles away from recently liberated Mosul.
