Iraqi forces on Tuesday (August 22nd) recaptured from the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) the first two districts of the group's bastion Tal Afar, AFP reported.

Troops have taken full control of al-Kifah and al-Nur residential districts two days after the start of the broad offensive backed by the international coalition fighting ISIS.

Iraqi aircraft dropped leaflets on Tal Afar containing instructions to civilians to stay home and keep away from ISIS positions, Joint Operations Command spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasul told Diyaruna.

The International Organisation for Migration said its teams were "responding to thousands of civilians fleeing Tal Afar since the launch of the military campaign".

Since Friday, more than 3,000 people had arrived at two IOM emergency sites, many with just the clothes on their back, said the UN agency.

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said it had received some 9,000 people at the Hamam al-Alil transit centre in the past week, and it was preparing to accommodate nearly 30,000 more.