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Islamic State group: Iraqi army claims recapture of Hawija Islamic State group: Iraqi army claims recapture of Hawija
(35 minutes later)
Iraqi forces say they have recaptured Hawija, one of the last enclaves of so-called Islamic State (IS).Iraqi forces say they have recaptured Hawija, one of the last enclaves of so-called Islamic State (IS).
On Wednesday they had said they killed 196 IS militants and recaptured 98 villages.
The area, where tens of thousands of civilians live, has been under the militant group's control since 2014.The area, where tens of thousands of civilians live, has been under the militant group's control since 2014.
The recapture leaves just one area of Iraq under the militant group's control; a stretch of land along the western border with Syria.The recapture leaves just one area of Iraq under the militant group's control; a stretch of land along the western border with Syria.
IS continues to hold parts of Syria. On Wednesday the Iraqi army had said they killed 196 IS militants and recaptured 98 villages.
Troops, police and paramilitaries engaged in the Iraqi offensive against IS "liberated the whole of the centre of Hawija and are continuing their advance," the operation's commander, Lieutenant General Abdel Amir Yarallah, said. Troops, police and paramilitaries "liberated the whole of the centre of Hawija and are continuing their advance", the operation's commander, Lieutenant General Abdel Amir Yarallah, said on Thursday.
State television said the army had "fully" retaken Hawija.
On Tuesday Iraqi forces captured the Rashad air base south of the city, which was used as a training camp by the militants.On Tuesday Iraqi forces captured the Rashad air base south of the city, which was used as a training camp by the militants.
The country's army has been engaged in a sustained offensive against the self-styled caliphate this year, retaking the country's second largest city Mosul in July after a nine-month battle. The UN said on Tuesday up to 78,000 civilians were still trapped in Hawija. Iraqi security forces said IS militants were preventing some people from leaving and might have laid explosives around the town.
About 12,500 people had fled since the army's operation began two weeks ago, according to the UN. It is unclear though how many civilians have escaped in the past couple of days.
Iraq's army, alongside militia allies and backed by airstrikes from the US-led coalition, has been engaged in a sustained offensive against IS' self-styled caliphate, retaking the country's second largest city Mosul in July after a nine-month battle.
IS continues to hold parts of Syria.