The “Islamic state” proclaimed by the Isis death cult is close to collapse after the Iraqi army liberated the town of Tal Afar  yesterday following a week of fighting.

The victory came as Isis agreed to surrender its stronghold on the Syria-Lebanon border, the day after Syrian troops conquered a huge Isis pocket north of Palmyra.

A statement by the Iraqi armed forces said troops, backed by Popular Mobilisation Units militia fighters, had captured all remaining districts of the town and were pushing north-west to al-Ayadia six miles away, where the extremists had fled.