Iraqi Official Refutes Shiite Militia Claims on Iran’s Role in Tal Afar Op

Iraqi National Security Adviser Faleh Fayad on Tuesday dismissed claims made by the spokesperson of the Iraqi Shiite People's Mobilization Forces (PMF or Hashd Shaabi) that advisers from Iran and Hezbollah are involved in the operation to liberate the Iraqi city of Tal Afar from terrorists.

CAIRO (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, the PMF’s spokesperson Ahmad Asadi told the Al-Ahwaz broadcaster that advisers from Iran and Hezbollah provide support to the militia in liberating Tal Afar from the Islamic State terrorist group (outlawed in Russia).

“The militia spokesperson was not correct in his statement on the issue,” Fayad, who also chairs the committee on the militia in the Iraqi government, told Sputnik radio.

The official noted that the PMF currently is a “progressive military organization” with advanced armaments and does not need support of third parties.

The PMF, a state-sponsored militia organization, has been operating near Tal Afar since October 2016, liberating strategic sites and villages to clear the way to the city. 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. Tal Afar is the last major stronghold of the IS militants on the border of Iraq with Syria.