On Monday, PMU spokesman Ahmed al-Assadi told reporters that the terrorists were using tanks in their attempt to escape Tal Afar, which is located to the west of Mosul.
"The attack by the Daesh terrorist gangs started at around 7:00 pm (1600 GMT) and lasted for around six hours, he said.
PMU forces, also known as Hashd al-Sha'abi, have been stationed around Mosul since October 17, when Iraq launched massive operations to retake the city from Daesh.
The coalition of anti-terror forces has so far fully liberated the eastern half of the flashpoint city -- home to more than one million people -- and are gearing up to liberate its western side.
"This was an attempt by Daesh to open a breach, flee to the Syria border and exfiltrate some leaders and fighters," he added.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="555"]
A soldier of the Hashd al-Sha'abi (Popular Mobilization Units) looks at a car convoy in the desert near the Tal Afar airport on November 20, 2016.[/caption]He noted that Iraqi military helicopters aided the PMU in thwarting the Daesh attack, in which at least 50 of the terrorists were killed and 17 of their vehicles destroyed.
Daesh began its campaign of terror in northern and western Iraq in 2014. Iraqi army soldiers and allied fighters are leading military operations to win back militant-held regions, trying to eliminate terrorists or driving them out of their country.
