Iraqi forces liberate Hawija from Islamic State

Iraqi forces on Thursday said they have recaptured the town of Hawija, Islamic State’s last stronghold in Iraq. U.S.-backed Iraqi troops and Popular Mobilization Forces—a Shiite paramilitary group trained and armed by Iran—began the operation to retake Hawija on Sep. 21. The victory leaves Islamic State (ISIS) militants in control of only a small stretch of land in Iraq, along its western border with Syria. The militants still control parts of Syria. Before the latest battle, the United Nations estimated up to 78,000 people remained trapped in Hawija. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi confirmed the liberation Thursday during a press conference in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron. Al-Abadi called the capture a “victory not just for Iraq, but for the whole world.” The fight against ISIS will now focus on the border zone with Syria, he said.