The apparently imminent fall of the city of Tal Afar to the Iraqi forces backed by local militias, notably Hashed Al Shaabi, so soon after the recapture of Mosul is an added evidence that Daesh’s days in Iraq are now numbered.

Tal Afar, strategically located on the supply route between Syria and Mosul, has a population of about 200,000; some managed to escape the fighting, but the majority had to endure the rigours of the war between Iraq and the extremists faction that took control of much of the country three years ago.

The city fell in eight days, which seems to confirm Iraqi military reports that Daesh lacks command and control structures in the area west of Mosul.

The recapture of yet another Iraqi city by the Iraqi forces, Daesh’s control of the Iraqi territories diminishes tremendously, making its eventual defeat in Iraq certain.

Of course, Baghdad has some more fighting to do to rid the remaining swathes of Iraqi lands still occupied by Daesh of the terrorists, but all indications are that an Iraq free of extremists is now within reach.

Once that happens, the mammoth task of rebuilding the country and enabling the repatriation of its population to their hometowns starts.

It will not be easy; much investment and effort must be expended to rebuild the country’s infrastructures, badly damaged.

And when Iraq is no longer in the Daesh clutch, efforts in Syria will have to make to dislodge the terrorists from its strongholds, especially Raqqa, and then the Middle East might once again breathe a sigh of relief and look forward to the restoration of regional peace, security and stability.

What will remain to settle is, of course, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Without solving it, regional security will remain fragile even after the total defeat of Daesh.

The focus of the Arab world, as well as of the international community, will have to turn to the Palestinian crisis as soon as the Daesh threat is effectively eliminated.

The region has suffered for too long from strife and turmoil. Its people deserve the right to live in peace like most of the rest of the world.