Iraq’s armed forces held a military parade in Baghdad on Sunday to celebrate the victory announced by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi over the Daesh terrorist group. His announcement comes two days after the Russian military announced the defeat of the militants in neighboring Syria.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared final victory over ISIL on Saturday after Iraqi forces drove its last remnants from the country, three years after the militant group captured about a third of Iraq’s territory.
The parade was not being broadcast live and only state media was allowed to attend, but several squadrons of Iraqi helicopters flew over Baghdad on Saturday carrying Iraqi flags in a rehearsal for the victory parade.
According to the Reuters, Iraqi forces recaptured the last areas still under Islamic State control along the border with Syria on Saturday and secured the western desert, marking the end of the war against the militants three years after they had captured about a third of Iraq’s territory.
The forces fighting Islamic State in Iraq and Syria now expect a new phase of guerrilla warfare.
