title: the syria conundrum  press tv
text: iraq civilians leave their homes as iraqi troops fight against daesh militants in the village of tob zawa photo by ap 
  daesh terrorists have abducted tens of thousands of civilians from near mosul to use them as human shields as government forces inch closer to the city proper in an operation to retake it the un says 
  un human rights spokeswoman ravina shamdasani said the terrorist group also killed at least  people on wednesday including  former iraqi security forces and  civilians who refused to obey its orders 
  many of them who refused to comply were shot on the spot shamdasani said in geneva citing reports corroborated by the un that were by no means comprehensive but indicative of violations 
  as the news emerged iraqs hashd alshaabi volunteers said they were set to launch an offensive against daesh west of mosul imminently 
  ahmad alassadi a spokesman for the popular forces confirmed that the fighters had completed preparations to move in the direction of tal afar a daeshheld city  kilometers west of mosul 
  he added that the fighters would move to capture tal afar from their positions in the iraqi town of qayyara situated some  kilometers south of mosul 
  a few days or hours separate us from the launch of operations there asadi said 
  iraqi forces liberated three key areas from daesh terrorists east of mosul army officials said troops also seized a tank and artillery from the terrorists and found a twokilometerlong tunnel full of ammunition 
  the army is edging closer to mosul by liberating villages around the city nearly  daeshheld towns and villages have been retaken by the army since the iraqi forces began the battle to liberate mosul last week loading