Iraq’s Shiite militias launch attack on Islamic State near Mosul

State-sanctioned Shiite militias have launched an attack on the Islamic State group west of the Iraqi city of Mosul but reiterated that they would not enter the Sunni majority city.

Jaafar al-Husseini, a spokesman for the Hezbollah Brigades, said they launched an offensive Saturday along with other militias toward the town of Tel Afar, which had a Shiite majority before it fell to IS in 2014. He says Iranian forces are advising the fighters and Iraqi aircraft are providing airstrikes.

Iraq launched a massive operation to retake militant-held Mosul, its second largest city, last week. The involvement of the Shiite militias has raised concerns the battle could aggravate sectarian divisions.

Al-Husseini says the militias will focus on Tel Afar and on securing the western border with Syria.

Iraqi Shi’ite militias said on Friday they would launch an offensive against Islamic State west of Mosul imminently, a move which would block any retreat by the Sunni jihadists into Syria but is likely to alarm Iraq’s northern neighbor Turkey.

A spokesman for the Iranian-backed paramilitary groups said on Friday the advance toward the Islamic State-held town of Tal Afar, about 55 km (35 miles) west of Mosul, would start within “a few days or hours”.

ekurd.ne