ISIS ‘loses most of Iraqi territories’ it controlled for years

The Islamic State (ISIS) has lost most of the territories it held in Iraq after years of battles by Iraqi security forces to dislodge the extremist group from their strongholds in the country.

Yahya Rasool, Iraqi army spokesperson, told a news conference that ISIS now controls only 6.8 per cent of Iraq’s territory from the 40 per cent it controlled as at June 10, 2014.

Rasool said that in June 2014, the extremist IS group took control of large areas in western and northern Iraq.

He said that the group also seized large amounts of weapons and ammunition left by the Iraqi security forces who fled their military camps and positions during the blitzkrieg of the extremist militants.

He added that months later, the Iraqi security forces backed by tens of thousands of Shiite and Sunni volunteers, with air support provided by an international coalition led by the US, managed to recapture most of Iraq’s key cities, towns and villages from ISIS.

He said the extremist group is still fighting desperately to keep its last major stronghold in the western side of Mosul, as well as smaller areas in Tal Afar, Hawija in northern Iraq, Qaim and Aana near the border with Syria in the western province of Anbar.

However, Rasool asserted that the US and other Western countries have provided airstrikes, intelligence and equipment to the Iraqi forces which began their offensive in October to free the city of Mosul from the group.

He said the battles in Iraq’s second largest city of Mosul brought the eastern side of Mosul, locally known as left bank of Tigris River, under the control of Iraqi forces in January.

The push on the western side of the city with its narrow streets and heavily populated neighbourhood, he said, slowed down the troops.