
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has warned that Islamic State fighters must either "surrender or die" as he announced the launch of the offensive to liberate the city of Tal Afar.
The Iraqi air force dropped leaflets over the city warning people to "prepare" for the latest assault.
Un Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq Lisa Grande said Sunday that "more than 30,000 people have already fled" the Tal Afar region and that thousands more were expected to seek to flee.
USA forces are taking part in an ongoing military operation to dislodge the Daesh terrorist group from Iraq's northwestern Tal Afar district, according to an Iraqi military source.
As well as in Iraq, IS has suffered major setbacks in Syria, where US-backed fighters have retaken more than half of its de facto Syrian capital Raqa.
Iraqi forces have made significant progress as they close in on the Islamic State-held town of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, the US-led coalition said.
The Iraqi government, for its part, says US soldiers are not taking part in the fighting and are only collecting and sharing intelligence and providing Iraq with logistical support.
People Killed in India After Train Derails
Heavyweight cranes and gas cutters were used to lift displaced and overturned coaches and cut through their tangled remains. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu ordered an inquiry into the train derailment to ascertain the cause of the incident.
She also called upon the advancing Iraqi force to rescue the enslaved Izadis "as soon as possible".
About 2,000 battle-hardened militants remain in the city, according to Iraqi military commanders.
However, Tal Afar's urban landscape differs significantly from Mosul's confined quarters and passages, allowing Iraqi and coalition forces to use heavy artillery and target jihadists' positions from the air, without posing a danger to civilians.
Iraq's official military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Rasoul said that the offensive will involve the Iraqi Army counterterrorism services (CTS), police and Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitaries (PMUs).
Although thousands of people managed to flee Tal Afar in the recent weeks, the United Nations International Organization for Migration estimates that between 10,000 to 40,000 people are still in the city and surrounding villages, often prevented from leaving by jihadists who use them as human shields.
"The liberation of Tal Afar means an exit to the Syrian border and the closure of the road for the IS".
Fighters from Popular Mobilization Units fire against the Daesh Takfiri militants on the outskirts of Tal Afar, Iraq, on August 20, 2017. During the insurgency, it was a stronghold of hardline Sunni Muslim militants, who were often engaged in sectarian violence against Shi'ite Muslims.
Complimentary weigh-in tickets for Mayweather-McGregor distribute starting today
Few have been able to take it, and part of the intrigue of this fight is whether Mayweather will be able to survive the shot. But that may say more about America's appetite for reality TV and spectacle than it does about the two sports themselves.
The Pacers Have Formally Accused The Lakers Of Tampering With Paul George
NBA Insider Peter Vecsey first broke the news of an investigation on the Los Angeles Lakers yesterday. The independent investigation is being conducted by the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz.
Dodgers get OF Granderson in trade with Mets
The Dodgers made room for Granderson by optioning former All Star centerfielder Joc Pederson to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Granderson, 36, was acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers late Friday night.
Strictly Come Dancing's Sir Bruce Forsyth dies aged 89
He had a remarkable chemistry with his audience - that's what made him such an incredible professional and why he was so loved. He also said he was "honoured" to have known and worked with Sir Bruce and "to have had my life touched by such greatness".
Stenson in Wyndham lead
The four-tournament FedEx Cup playoffs begin with the top-125 finishers qualifying for this week's Northern Trust event in NY . And it got better when Siem battled his way through to the final to take on Otaegui, a rapidly-improving young Spanish golfer.
Cristiano Ronaldo says his ban for pushing referee is "persecution"
The Portuguese captain was controversially sent off as Madrid won the first leg of the Super Cup 3-1 on Sunday at the Camp Nou. M - Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-0 at the Bernabeu to win the Spanish Super Cup 5-1 on aggregate, BBC Sport reported.
Kyle Busch looking to sweep Bristol's summer weekend for second time
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver starts 18th Saturday night in the NASCAR Cup event, a grueling 500-lap affair. Of course, no one has ever disputed Busch's talent. " Erik Jones put up a whale of a fight", said Busch.
Studs and Duds from Jets loss to Lions, including QB Bryce Petty
It's unusual in the National Football League for a team to carry three quarterbacks unless of course, you're the New York Jets . Things are going really well for the Jets, presuming the plan is to go 0-16 this season and secure the No. 1 pick.
Barcelona to Wear Special Shirt in Honour of Recent Terror Attack Victims
Both FC Barcelona and Real Madrid observed minutes of silence before the start of their respective training sessions today. The special jerseys will also include the hashtag #TotsSomBarcelona ( Catalan for "We are all Barcelona ") on the chest.
Pep Guardiola wants Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus to be more clinical
Kompany has played for Mark Hughes, Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini during his nine years with the Premier League side. His movement was key, especially for Sandro Ramirez, who I think could struggle for goals.
Dead in Plane Crash Near Oregon Eclipse Viewing Site
The Oregonian/Oregonlive reports that the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are exploring. The pilot of a small passenger plane that crashed near Madras on Saturday was the only fatality, investigators said Sunday.
Wagner expects Huddersfield fans to 'deliver' in historic home clash
The situation is not what you are expecting, so you have to keep going to give the right message. Mounie made a memorable debut in Premier League as he scored a brace in the 3-0 win over Palace.
Falwell backs Trump on Charlottesville, admits president could be more 'politically correct'
Falwell said, "One of the reasons I supported him is because he doesn't say what's politically correct". "I don't know if there were historical purists there who were trying to preserve some statues".
Sensex plunges over 400 points; Nifty below 9800
Among other Asian markets, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was up 0.09 per cent while Japan's Nikkei shed 0.13 per cent. On similar lines, the National Stock Exchange index Nifty dropped by 73.95 points or 0.74 per cent to 9,830.20.
How to Make Your Own Eclipse
Why is it called the "Great American Eclipse?" There is a 70-mile stretch from SC through OR that will have the best views. For those outside of the zone of totality, NASA has warned people not to look directly into the partial eclipse .