Hundreds Of Iraqi Islamic State Fighters Are Making Their Last Stand In The Town Of al-’Ayadiya

Members of Iraqi army are seen during the war between Iraqi army and Shi'ite Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) against the Islamic State militants in al-Ayadiya, northwest of Tal Afar, Iraq August 28, 2017. Thaier Al-Sudani

Reuters: 'Gates of Hell': Iraqi army says fighting near Tal Afar worse than Mosul

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi forces battling to retake the small town of al-’Ayadiya where militants fleeing Tal Afar have entrenched themselves, saying on Tuesday the fighting is “multiple times worse” than the battle for Mosul’s old city.

Hundreds of battle-hardened fighters were positioned inside most houses and high buildings inside the town, making it difficult for government forces to make any progress, army officers told Reuters.

Iraqi government troops captured the town of Mosul from Islamic State in June, but only after eight months of grinding urban warfare.

But one Iraqi officer, Colonel Kareem al-Lami, described breaching the militants’ first line of defense in al-’Ayadiya as like opening “the gates of hell”.

Iraqi forces have in recent days recaptured almost all of the northwestern city of Tal Afar, long a stronghold of Islamic State. They have been waiting to take al-’Ayadiya, just 11 km (7 miles) northwest of the city, before declaring complete victory.

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Update: ISIS Resort to Al-Ayadiya as their Last Refuge in Nineveh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

WNU Editor: I wondered a few days ago on where did the estimated 2,000 ISIS fighters in Tal Afar flee to when the city was captured by the Iraqi military. Now we know .... they are in the town of al-Ayadiya. Here is a prediction .... instead of going house to house, I will not be surprised if the Iraqi army simply levels the town.