Iraq declares the end of its war on Isil

Iraq’s war against the Islamic State (Isil) is over and the jihadist group has been no longer controls any territory inside the country, Iraq’s prime minister declared on Saturday.  Haider al-Abadi said Isil forces had been driven from their final pockets of control and that the Iraqi state was now fully in control of the country’s border with Syria.  "Our forces are in complete control of the Iraqi-Syrian border and I therefore announce the end of the war against Daesh [Isil]," Mr Abadi told a conference in Baghdad. "Our enemy wanted to kill our civilisation, but we have won through our unity and our determination. We have triumphed in little time.” His announcement marked the end of four years of formal combat operations after Isil swept into western Iraq from Syria in early 2014. Within months they had seized control of much of northern Iraq, including the city of Mosul, and threatened to march assault Iraqi Kurdistan.  Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory  US forces began airstrikes against Isil in August 2014 and after years of grinding warfare, Iraq’s military announced they had succeeded in completely clearing the country.  "All Iraqi lands are liberated from terrorist Daesh gangs and our forces completely control the international Iraqi-Syrian border," said Lieutenant General Abdul-Amir Rasheed Yar Allah.  The Coalition congratulate the people of Iraq on their significant victory against #Daesh. We stand by them as they set the conditions for a secure and prosperous #http://futureiraqpic.twitter.com/pJlGImT1Yu— The Global Coalition (@coalition) December 9, 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May congratulated Mr Abadi on successfully forcing Isil from most of the country, but warned the extremist group is "not yet defeated". The US-led military coalition against Isil tweeted its congratulations shortly after Mr Abadi’s speech. “The Coalition congratulates the people of Iraq on their significant victory against Daesh. We stand by them as they set the conditions for a secure and prosperous future Iraq.” Despite its battlefield defeat, Isil is likely to continue to inflict painful attacks against Iraqi military forces and civilians. Baghdad and other cities have been plagued by suicide bombings carried out by Isil cells even though its ground forces were nowhere nearby.  With the military fight against Isil finished in Iraq, the US is focusing on how to try to confront Iranian influence in the country.  

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