Iraq celebrates ‘historic victory’ over Daesh
Country faces enormous task of rebuilding the territory decimated during the battle
BAGHDAD— After more than three years of combat operations, Iraq announced Saturday that the fight against Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL, is over after the country’s security forces drove the extremists from all of the territory they once held. Iraqi and American officials warned, however, that key challenges remain despite the military victory.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi formally announced the victory in an address to the nation aired on Iraqi state television Saturday evening.
“Honourable Iraqis, your land has been completely liberated,” he said. “The liberation dream has become a reality. We achieved victory in difficult circumstances and with God’s help, the steadfastness of our people and the bravery of our heroic forces we prevailed.”
“The flag of Iraq is flying high today over all Iraqi territory and at the farthest point on the border,” he added, standing before the most senior members of Iraq’s security forces.
Following al-Abadi’s remarks, his office declared a public holiday Sunday in celebration of the victory, according to an official statement from the prime minister’s office.
Iraqi forces mopped up the last pockets of Daesh fighters from Iraq’s western deserts Saturday, securing the country’s border with Syria, a step that marked the end of combat operations against the extremists.
“All Iraqi lands are liberated from terrorist Daesh gangs and our forces completely control the international Iraqi-Syrian border,” said Lt. Gen. Abdul-Amir Rasheed Yar Allah, a senior Iraqi military commander, in a statement Saturday afternoon.
The U.S. applauded the prime minister’s announcement.
The U.S. offers “sincere congratulations to the Iraqi people and to the brave Iraqi Security Forces, many of whom lost their lives heroically fighting (Daesh),” State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a written statement.
“Our coalition will continue to stand with Iraq to support its security forces, economy and stabilization to help ensure that (Daesh) can never again threaten Iraq’s people or use its territory as a haven,” said Brett McGurk, U.S. special presidential envoy to the anti-Daesh coalition, in a statement posted to his official Twitter account.
“We mark today’s historic victory mindful of the work that remains,” he added.
Iraq’s government remains faced with significant security threats, an economic crisis and the enormous task of rebuilding swaths of territory decimated by the Daesh fight.
Daesh fighters overran nearly a third of Iraqi territory, including Mosul, the country’s second-largest city and Tikrit, the capital of Iraq’s central Salahuddin province in the summer of 2014. The following year, Daesh fighters also overran Anbar’s provincial capital of Ramadi. Over the past 3 1⁄ years, Iraqi
2 ground forces closely backed by the U.S.-led coalition and mostly Shiite paramilitary forces backed by Iran have slowly retaken all of that territory. However, Daesh fighters remain capable of carrying out insurgent attacks in Iraq, and the group has recovered from past setbacks.
Daesh insurgent networks continue to pose a threat to Baghdad and other Iraqi cities, a senior Iraqi security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. The official said intelligence gathering would become increasingly important in the post-military phase of the fight against Daesh.
Additionally, three million Iraqis remain displaced by the fight against Daesh, according to the United Nations.
As he closed his national address, al-Abadi acknowledged the challenges that remain for Iraq.
“I urge everyone to refrain from returning to the inflammatory and sectarian discourse that empowered gangs to occupy our cities and villages,” he said. “Our people have paid a dear price. We must turn this page forever.”