ALALAM – Iraq

"Hashd al-Shaabi has concluded its fifth phase of military operations in the Western flank of Mosul after liberating Tal Abta," the Iraqi volunteer forces' media center declared on Sunday.

On November 25, the Iraqi volunteer forces started the Fifth round of their military operation to capture the remaining areas in the Western flank of Mosul.

Meantime, the Nineveh Liberation Operation Command Center announced that Iraq's joint military forces have managed to win back 31 districts of Mosul and are purging the ISIS terrorists from the newly-liberated areas.

On Tuesday, the Iraqi volunteer forces captured the key region of Tal Abta near Mosul.

The Iraqi volunteer forces laid siege on the ISIL terrorists in Tal Abta last Sunday.

"Tal Abta region is now under Hashd al-Shaabi's full siege from four different directions, while they also took back several more villages in the surrounding areas," Hashd al-Shaabi Commander Mohammad al-Basri said.

He reiterated that recapturing Tal Abta which is regarded as one of the most important command centers of the ISIL near the Western flank of Mosul will pave the way for the Iraqi forces' further advances towards the centers of Tal Afar and Mosul cities.

The commander said that Tal Abta's capture can greatly help maintain security of a network of routes and supply lines in Nineveh province because it is linked to Tal Afar in the North and Al-Ba'aj in the West while it is also situated near the strategic Nineveh road, FNA reported.

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