Iran-supported Iraqi PMF repel ISIL counterattack near Tal Afar

Iran-supported Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) reportedly repelled a violent counterattack against its positions held near Tal Afar.

According to The Washington Post:

[ISIL] launched a significant counterattack near the town of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, on Sunday night.

[ISIL] detonated some 17 car bombs, targeting a position held by Iraq’s government-sanctioned mostly Shiite militia forces known as the Popular Mobilization Forces near Tal Afar, said Jaafar al-Hussaini, a spokesman for one of the militias.

In all, the attack lasted nine hours and killed four militiamen and 48 IS fighters before it was repelled al-Hussaini said.

Comment: Cited spokesman Jaafar al-Hussaini is a member of Iran-supported Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH).

Iran-supported PMF appear to be receiving air support from Iraqi Army Air Command.

Iran-supported PMF are applying pressure towards ISIL defenses in the direction of or about Tal Afar, while Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) position to attack the western sections of Mosul. Moreover, ISIL is being somewhat stretched in committing forces to defend Tal Afar. Any reduction of combat strength away from Mosul assists ISF in liberating the much larger provincial capital.

Meanwhile Iranian and PMF media are characterizing ISIL's action as aiming “through the attack to open a way in a bid to flee the area into Syria .” Certainly, ISIL's line of communication towards Syria  along Iraqi Road 47 is blocked by relatively strong elements of Iran-supported PMF.

Map below depicts ISIL counterattack in the direction west of Tal Afar, along or about Iraqi Road 47. [source: ABNA]

Map below depicts Iran-supported Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces as they were positioned three weeks ago. [source: ISW]