Kurdish security detain alleged foreign ISIS militants fleeing Tal Afar

DUHOK, Kurdistan Region — Kurdish security forces arrested nearly 50 ISIS militants including three foreigners within a week in the areas of Zummar and Rabiha, north of Tal Afar. Some of them had plans to cross to Turkey and Syria.

“Some ISIS militants in small groups wanted to flee to the borders of Turkey and Syria. Nearly 50 of them have been arrested so far,” a security source in Shingal who didn't want to be identified told Rudaw.

Zummar is about 50 kilometers north of Tal Afar and a so-called disputed area claimed by both Baghdad and Erbil.

“Some of these militants had used the way used by people fleeing Tal Afar, reaching the territory controlled by the Peshmerga. But they were arrested in Kaske area. Others had tried to reach the Syrian border as detachments. They were ambushed and arrested by the Peshmerga near Tal Afar,” the source added.

There were foreigners from the United Kingdom and Germany among those detained.

The source spoke about the identity of these arrested militants: “Most of them are Iraqi Arabs and Tal Afar Turkmen. In addition, three of the arrested were Europeans – one was from the UK and the other two from Germany. They wanted to reach Syria and go from there to Europe, especially the foreigners wanted to go back to their home countries.”

Tal Afar lies northwest of Iraq and west of the Nineveh province. According to the statistics carried out by the Iraqi trade ministry in December 2010, its population was 281,000 people. Most of its population is Sunni Turkmen. There are also Kurds and Arabs (Shiite and Sunni) who have lived there.

It lies 65 kilometers west of Mosul. It is 60 kilometers from the Syrian border. Townships of Rabiha and Ayazya belong to this town. Tal Afar borders with Shingal. ISIS captured it in June 2014. It has not yet been liberated.

On August 20, 2017, the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi declared Tal Afar operation.

Kaml Harki, a Peshmerga commander in Kaske front where people fleeing Tal Afar try to reach the Peshmerga said: “It has been nearly four months people are fleeing Tal Afar. Nearly 600 fled last week. Most of them had believed that ISIS would defend Tal Afar. They are very disappointed now. That is why they have fled to the Peshmerga lines.”

The mayor of the town of Tal Afar has said there are very few civilians remaining in downtown Tal Afar. 

“There are currently nearly 1,000 ISIS militants remaining in Tal Afar. They are of three groups: some of them are Tal Afar ISIS militants who are famous people of the town, some of them are from other parts of Iraq, and the rest are foreigners. They are from Europe, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries. Some of these foreign militants have their families with them, Abdulal Abas, mayor of Tal Afar, revealed to Rudaw.

UNAMI has stated more than 30,000 civilians have fled the area as of Sunday. An estimated 10,000 to 50,000 civilians are believed to still be living under ISIS control in Tal Afar and the surrounding areas, according to coalition figures.  

“Most ISIS militants have sent their families and kids with the IDPs to areas in Kurdistan and Mosul. There are some women whose husbands are emirs, yet very respected,” the mayor added.