Iraqi Forces Reclaim Al-Nuri Mosque in Mosul

The Iraqi army announced on Thursday, July 8, that its special forces have reclaimed the Al-Nuri Mosque in the west of Mosul. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State (ISIS), declared his caliphate in this mosque three years ago. According to Reuters, the recapture of this 850-year-old mosque is seen as a symbolic victory for Iraqi forces, who have been trying to liberate the city from ISIS for about eight months. The Iraqi forces were supported in this battle by an international coalition led by the United States. Iraqi officials expect that in the coming days, the long-standing battle for the liberation of Mosul will come to an end. They estimate that around 350 ISIS militants are still present in the city. General Yahya Rasool, the spokesperson for the Iraqi army, announced the defeat of ISIS in an interview with the country's television, stating, 'Their imaginary government is over.' The Iraqi army believes that the surrounded militants will continue to fight until the last man. Mohammed al-Tamimi, one of the Iraqi commanders, stated that they 'will not surrender' and 'as a result, if they are not killed, their last option is to blow themselves up.' However, ISIS still has a presence in Iraq, including areas around the west and south of Mosul that are under the control of the group. According to Reuters, during the fighting to reclaim Mosul, in addition to military casualties, it is estimated that thousands of civilians have been killed and 900,000 residents of the city have been displaced. The final battles for Mosul are taking place 'in less than one square kilometer.'