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Britain congratulates Iraq on retaking IS-held city

Xinhua, December 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond on Monday congratulated the Iraqi government on the raising of the Iraqi flag in Ramadi, a city once held by the Islamic State (IS), also known as Daesh.

Iraqi security forces on Monday declared victory over the IS militant group in Ramadi, the capital of Iraq's western province of Anbar.

"This is the latest in a series of significant losses for Daesh. These barbaric terrorists have lost 30 percent of the territory they once held in Iraq," Hammond said Monday in a statement.

The foreign secretary said that Daesh has been driven out of cities across the country by Iraqi forces, with support from the international coalition.

"We will continue to support the Government of Iraq as it re-establishes the security, governance and services the people of Ramadi will need as they return to their city," Hammond noted.

"This remains a long fight, but the Coalition's strategy is succeeding. We will continue to stand with the Iraqi people until Daesh is defeated," he added.

Iraqi security forces have been fighting for months to retake key cities and towns in Anbar, Iraq's largest province, from IS militants who have seized most of Anbar and tried to advance towards Baghdad.

Britain has been carrying out airstrikes against IS targets in Iraq since September last year as part of a U.S.-led international coalition. Endit