Le forze paramilitari sciite hanno ricevuto da Baghdad l'ordine di occupare Tal Afar in modo da tagliare le vie di fuga agli estremisti dello Stato islamico che dall'assediata Mosul volessero raggiungere la Siria.
L'impiego di queste milizie, che hanno avuto un ruolo decisivo in precedenti battaglie contro i guerriglieri del califfato, è contestato sia dalla comunità sunnita, maggioritaria nella grande città che le autorità irachene stanno ora tentando di riportare sotto il loro controllo, sia da quella curda. Anche la coalizione internazionale a guida statunitense non vede di buon occhio un loro intervento.
Per questa ragione, la loro partecipazione all'offensiva lanciata il 17 ottobre era finora stata evitata.
AFP/dg
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