The Iraqi military has begun its latest offensive against the so-called "Islamic State," weeks after liberating the city of Mosul. IS still occupies territory around Mosul, but its "caliphate" has effectively collapsed.
Image: Reuters/Z. Bensemra
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The Iraqi Defense Ministry confirmed on Tuesday that Iraqi forces had begun an aerial bombing campaign against so-called "Islamic State" (IS) militants in the city of Tal Afar, one of the militant group's last remaining pockets in the region.
It marks the Iraqi military's next major offensive after it last month completed a long and deadly campaign to take back the city of Mosul, Iraq's second largest city and a major IS stronghold.
A Defense Ministry spokesman said that US-backed military personnel were already stationed on the outskirts of Tal Afar, located some 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Mosul.
Civilians struggle to survive after Mosul has been freed
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The air campaign will reportedly target IS fortifications in the city, including headquarters, tunnels and weapons caches, before ground troops push in, albeit not for a few weeks, according to military sources.
Tal Afar had a population of around 200,000 people before it fell to IS in 2014. However, it was already a hotbed for sectarian violence between Sunni and Shiite groups in the aftermath of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. The city has also produced some of IS's most senior commanders.
Defeat of IS forces in Tal Afar would mark another major milestone in the country's fight against the jihadi group. IS's caliphate was effectively wiped out following the army's grueling, nine-month long campaign to liberate Mosul, but the group continues to occupy smaller territories in the region.
Risks abound
The mission to retake Mosul didn't come without major costs, however. According to the UN, over the course of the nine-month liberation, nearly a million people were displaced from within and around the city, while many thousands died as a result of IS's atrocities, as well as US-led coalition bombing campaigns.
There are fears that the same could happen in Tal Afar. The UN estimates that some 50,000 people have already fled the city since April. Escapees have reported dire humanitarian conditions in the IS-controlled town, with water and food running desperately short.
The mission to take Tal Afar will also provoke further warnings from Turkey over potential demographic changes in the region. Once home to ethnic Turkmen, Turkish officials have voiced concerns that Iraqi Kurdish and Shiite forces will eventually expel Sunni Arabs and Turkmen after the land has been liberated from IS.
What is the 'Islamic State'?
IS has gone from an obscure al-Qaida splinter group to a global phenomenon. DW takes a look at the defining aspects of the jihadi group — from its "caliphate" to its tactics.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Al-Furqan
Where did it come from?
The "Islamic State" (IS) — also known as ISIL, ISIS and Daesh — is an al-Qaida splinter group with a militant Sunni Islamist ideology. It emerged in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Their goal is to create a worldwide "caliphate." It gained worldwide notoriety in 2014 after a blitzkrieg military campaign that resulted in the capture of Mosul.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Where does it operate?
IS is believed to be operational in more than a dozen countries across the world. It controls territories in Iraq and Syria. However, the group has lost much of the territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria at the height of its expansion in 2014.
Who is fighting back?
The US leads an international coalition of more than 50 countries, including several Arab nations. Russia, Iran and its Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah, which all support the Syrian government, also fight IS. Regional forces such as the Kurdish peshmerga (above) and US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters, fight IS on the ground. The Iraqi army and militia have pushed IS from large parts of the country.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca/H. Huseyin
How does it fund itself?
One of IS' main sources of income has been oil and gas. At one point, it controlled an estimated one-third of Syria's oil production. However, US-led airstrikes deliberately targeted oil resources and the Syrian government as well as US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters have retaken most oil wells. Other means of income include taxes, ransom, selling looted antiquities and extortion.
Image: Getty Images/J. Moore
Where does it carry out attacks?
IS has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks across the globe. The militant group has targeted capitals across the EU, including Berlin, Brussels and Paris. IS leaders have encouraged so-called "lone wolf" attacks, whereby individuals who support IS carry out terrorist acts without the direct involvement of the group.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Spingler
What other tactics does it use?
The group uses various tactics to expand its power. IS fighters have looted and destroyed historical artifacts in Syria and Iraq in an attempt at "cultural cleansing." The group has also enslaved thousands of women from religious minority groups, including Yazidis. IS also uses a sophisticated social network to distribute propaganda and recruit sympathizers.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Eid
How has it impacted the region?
IS has further exacerbated the ongoing Syrian conflict. Millions of Syrians and Iraqis have fled their homes, many traveling to Europe in pursuit of refuge. Although it has lost all of its strongholds, the militant group has left extraordinary destruction in its wake. Areas affected by the militant group's rule will likely take years to rebuild.
