Iraqi Army Recaptures Main Parts of 'Duluya' from ISIS

Iraqi police and army sources say that army forces, along with militias, were able to recapture the main parts of the city of 'Duluya' in northern Baghdad from the Islamic State group, known as ISIS, on Monday, January 8. According to Reuters, the operation to reclaim Duluya, located 70 kilometers north of Baghdad, began on Sunday and continued on Monday, successfully breaking the siege of the city. Khalaf Hamid, a police commander in Duluya, told Reuters that army forces and volunteer (militia) fighters now control the city center where government offices are located, and ISIS forces are trapped in a small neighborhood in the northern part of the city. The report states that ISIS forces captured half of the city in June, while the other half remained under the control of the Jabouri tribe, which refused to ally with ISIS. Badu Ahmed, a Duluya resident, also told Reuters that they had to take shelter at home today due to continuous bombing and gunfire since morning. He added, 'We are eagerly waiting for our army forces to free us from the hands of ISIS.' According to Iraqi police, helicopters and army planes have bombed targets in the area. The report notes that ISIS forces not only attempted to besiege the Jabouri tribe by capturing surrounding villages but also attacked the Shiite city of 'Balad' through this route. Reuters reports that Monday's operation has effectively shattered ISIS's capability in the outskirts of Duluya and Balad. However, several villages along the route between Baghdad and Samarra in northern Iraq remain under ISIS control. This summer, ISIS managed to seize large areas of Sunni regions in Iraq during extensive operations. However, according to General James Terry, a senior U.S. commander in Iraq, with the continued air operations of the U.S.-led coalition and the operations of the Iraqi army, Kurdish Peshmerga, and Shiite militias, ISIS has lost its initiative and military superiority in many areas.