Iraqi government forces recaptured the Ottoman-era citadel in Tal Afar, and took control of the city, according to a military statement.

"Units of the Counter-Terrorism Service liberated the Citadel and Basatin districts and raised the Iraqi flag on top of the citadel," the offensive's commander General Abdulamir Yarallah said.

Clashes were ongoing on the northern outskirts and Iraqi forces were dealing with final pockets of jihadists inside the city, Yarallah said.

TRT World spoke Erbil based journalist Ash Gallagher for the latest.

The offensive to capture the Daesh-controlled city of Tal Afar had started on August 20, the US-backed forces have captured 19 out of 26 areas in the city so far.

Tal Afar lies on the supply route between Syria and 80 kilometres to the east of former Daesh stronghold, Mosul.

The city, which had a pre-war population of about 200,000, was the latest objective in the US-backed war on Daesh, following the recapture of Mosul after a nine-month campaign that left much of the city, the biggest in northern Iraq, in ruins.