Iraqi PM tells jihadists to 'surrender or die' ahead of operation to liberate Tal Afar

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has warned that Islamic State fighters must either "surrender or die" as he announced the launch of the offensive to liberate the city of Tal Afar.

Tal Afar, located 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Mosul in Iraq's far north, has been considered as a longtime stronghold of hardline Sunni Muslim insurgents, according to Reuters.

"As we announce the start of operations to liberate Tal Afar, we salute the heroic Iraqi forces who fight to bring victory, freedom and peace," the Prime Minister said in a tweet on Sunday.

The city, which sits along a major road that had been a key supply route for the terror group between Iraq and Syria, has been cut off from the rest of the ISIS-held territory in June. Kurdish Peshmerga fighters are surrounding the city in the north, while Iraqi government troops and Shi'ite volunteers surround it in the south.

Prior to Abadi's announcement, the Iraqi air force dropped leaflets over the city, warning the civilians to take precautions. "Prepare yourself, the battle is imminent and the victory is coming, God willing," the leaflets read.

On Saturday, Iraq's War Media Cell urged the citizens in areas surrounding Tal Afar to tune in to 104.5 FM in order to receive information.

Iraq's official military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Rasoul said that the offensive will involve the Iraqi Army counterterrorism services (CTS), police and Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitaries (PMUs).

The operation comes after Mosul was declared liberated on June 10 after a fierce nine-month battle between Iraqi security forces (ISF) and ISIS.

The ISF has not publicly released casualty reports, but according to The Associated Press, as many as 1,400 troops were killed and more than 7,000 were wounded in the operation to liberate Mosul. The US-backed coalition reportedly needs significant resupplying and repairing before carrying out the operation to take back Tal Afar.

About 50,000 people are still believed to be trapped in Tal Afar, which had a pre-war population of about 200,000. In June, at least 500 families fled from the city and headed to Kurdish-controlled areas before they were transferred to Hamam Alil camp.

"It's smaller and there are fewer bad guys," said Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, the top US commander in Iraq. "But for the Iraqi security force member or policeman or infantry man or special forces soldier who's attacking, it won't be easier. He's going to be facing a determined ISIS fighter dug into Tal Afar, determined to fight to the death," he added.