[12][13][14][15] Victory in the battle was declared by the Prime Minister al-Abadi following the capture of the last ISIL-held area in Tal Afar district.

After the United States-led invasion of Iraq, Tal Afar experienced cycles of sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shi'ites and has produced some of ISIL's most senior leaders.

[12] On 20 August 2017, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the beginning of the Tal Afar offensive, telling the militants "You either surrender, or die" in a televised speech.

[12] On 21 August, Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah said the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) seized five villages southwest of Tal Afar and cut off a road leading to the city.

[25] In order to reduce the effectiveness of Iraqi airstrikes, ISIL set fire to several oil wells in Tal Afar.

[27] On 22 August, Abu Qatada al-Afri, an ISIL recruitment officer, was killed in central Tal Afar, along with four other members, in an airstrike.

[31] By the end of the day, Iraqi Army captured the districts of Al-Kifah, Al-Nur and al-Askari after entering the city from southeast and northwest.

[36] The Ninevah Council announced that more than 50 percent of Tal Afar had already been recaptured by the Iraqi government and that 31 neighborhoods were captured, and 302 ISIL militants had been killed so far.

[45] Iraqi troops then headed towards the town of Al-Ayadia, in order to recapture the rest of the Tal Afar pocket.

Lt. Col. Salah Kareem of the Iraqi Army stated that the most diehard ISIL militants had fled to the town from Tal Afar.

[49] Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the capture of al-Ayadia district and declared victory in Tal Afar on 31 August.

Mahalabiyah and Ayadhiyah, which are a part of the 3,206 square kilometre Tal Afar area, were freed from ISIL militants during the offensive.

[1] According to Human Rights Watch, Peshmerga forces executed up to 400 ISIL members early in September 2017, who were captured or surrendered north of Tal Afar during the battle for the city.