Iraqi forces retake town in Kirkuk from Daesh

Hawija, town in Kirkuk, northern Iraq, was one of Daesh's last strongholds in the country

Iraqi forces retake town in Kirkuk from Daesh

Iraqi forces have announced the recapture of a town in Kirkuk, northern Iraq, from Daesh, one of the group's last enclaves in the country.

“The Hawija district has been retaken from Daesh,” said a written statement on Thursday by Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Yarullah.

Last Friday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the launch of the second phase of ongoing operations to retake Hawija.