Official: Iraqi Prime Minister announces victory against I SIS it (Photo)

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abad today formally declared victory against the extremist group (IS), during the speech on state television, marking the IS's greatest defeat by the proclamation of potassium three years ago.

“Get the outcome and failure and destruction of the terrorist state, which Daesh has declared by Mosul”, al-Abad said using the Arab term for the Islamic State. A few hours earlier, journalists had seen fierce fighting still raging in the city. It's not immediately clear if the fights are over. Prime Minister al-Abad visited Mosul yesterday to congratulate the soldiers, though the fighting took place in the vicinity.

In 2014, Mosul was occupied by the IS, until the warriors of this extremist group had taken up extensive territories in the northwest part of Iraq and declared California in their territory under their control of Iraq and Syria. Iraqi forces, backed by the United States, launched a major operation for Mosul's retake, the second largest city in Iraq after Baghdad's capital, in October last year. The United Nations says 920 thousand civilians have fled their homes since the military campaign started in October. About 700 thousand people are still displaced.