Iraqi forces have said they are poised to recapture the city of Tal Afar from so-called Islamic State (IS) after six days of intense fighting.

Troops have cleared the old citadel and its surrounding neighbourhood of militants, Lt Gen Abdul Amir Yarallah was quoted as saying by BBC.

Clashes were still being reported in the northern outskirts of the city.

Tal Afar, near the Syrian border, is one of the jihadists' last remaining strongholds in Iraq. Last month, a long-running operation drove IS militants from the Iraqi city of Mosul.

Gen Yarallah, who is in charge the latest offensive, said his forces were now dealing with the final pockets of jihadi resistance in Tal Afar.

Footage from within the city shows Iraqi forces moving through the streets in tanks with black smoke billowing from targeted buildings.

"Tal Afar city is about to fall completely into the hands of our forces, only 5 per cent remains [under IS control]", a military spokesman was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying.