Iraqi Troops Seen Inside Besieged Oil Refinery

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/world/middleeast/iraq-isis-baiji-oil-refinery.html

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BAGHDAD — Iraqi state television on Tuesday displayed images of triumphant soldiers inside the Baiji refinery, the first confirmation of many previous reports that government forces had broken a siege by the extremists who call themselves the Islamic State.

Regaining control of the refinery is the government’s most significant victory since June in its fight to roll back the extremists, who retain control of much of the northwest of the country.

The refinery at Baiji is Iraq’s largest, and government forces have struggled for at least six months to break the siege. The government first announced that it had done so in June and most recently reiterated that announcement over the weekend. But the images on state television were the first confirmation that the refinery had been retaken.

An American-led military coalition has been conducting airstrikes against the Islamic State and sending military advisers to try to help the government forces advance.