Iraqis rejoice after government troops liberate Mosul from Islamic State
Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory in the “liberated” city of Mosul on Sunday, his office said, after a gruelling nearly nine-month battle against the Islamic State group.
)
Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory in the "liberated" city of Mosul on Sunday, after a gruelling nearly nine-month battle against the Islamic State group. AP
The northern Iraqi city was where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi made his only known public appearance in July 2014, announcing himself to the world as "caliph" . AP
People took to the streets across major cities of Iraq like Baghdad and Basra after government forces secured victory against the Islamic State. AP
However, the reach of Islamic State ideology remains one of the greatest threats in the world after three years that saw foreign affiliates mushroom far beyond the core of the "caliphate". AP
With Mosul falling, the "caliphate" loses one of the main hubs of its administration and Islamic State one of the most potent symbols of its might. AP
Nevertheless, the fighting did not seem to be completely over yet, with gunfire still audible in Mosul and air strikes hitting the city. AP
Iraqi forces launched the Mosul operation in October, first fighting their way to the city, retaking its east and then assaulting its western side, where some of the heaviest fighting occurred. AP
The international community hailed Mosul's liberation with the European Union urging Iraqis to rebuild the country after the bloody war. AP