Iraq’s prime minister declares military victory in Mosul after grueling campaign

Danish Siddiqui | Reuters

Ali Bassem, 26, a member of Iraqi Emergency Response Division force, at a front line during clashes with Islamic State fighters in western Mosul, Iraq. “He is a hero. He got Daesh out of Iraq. He is cooperative with the Iraqi people and we and the Americans are one nation. We are brothers,” Bassem said.

Iraq’s state TV says the country’s prime minister has arrived in Mosul to declare victory over the Islamic State group in the more than eight-month old operation to drive the militants from the city.

State TV quotes Haider al-Abadi as saying he “congratulates the fighters and the people on the big victory” in the key city.

Dressed in a black uniform of a type worn by Iraqi special forces, al-Abadi was shown on Sunday as descending from a military plane and was greeted by senior security forces commanders.

Backed byU.S.-led coalition, Iraq launched the operation to retake Mosul in October.Iraqi state TV says government forces have drove the militants from all areasand are “chasing” them militants in some areas in the city.

The militants captured Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, in a matter of days in the summer of 2014.