(MENAFN- Saudi Press Agency)
Baghdad, Rabi'I 21, 1439 H., December 09, 2017, SPA -- Iraqi forces have driven Islamic State from a large desert region on the border with Syria, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Saturday, a sign that the extremist militia has lost control of its territory in the country, dpa reported.
"I break the good news to all Iraqis that the Iraqi people have completed purging the Jazira region from Daesh and have completely controlled the border with Syria," al-Abadi added, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State.
"This is a victory not only for Iraqis, but for Arabs, Muslims and the world," the Muslim premier added at a conference in Baghdad.
With this breakthrough, Iraq has completed "liberation of all its lands" from Islamic State more than three years after the radical militia had seized large chunks of the country in a blitz, chief of the campaign, Lieutenant General Abdul-Amir Yarallah said in a press statement.
--SPA
16:05 LOCAL TIME 13:05 GMT
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