Iraqi PM meets with military officers in Mosul

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Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has met with military officers to congratulate them for what he described as a victory over the terrorist group Islamic State (ISIL) in Mosul.

Abadi toured districts of the eastern part of the city and met with military commanders, who briefed him on the operations. He also met with local government officials.

Earlier on Sunday, Abadi said victory was guaranteed, and it was only a matter of time to eliminate ISIL from Mosul.

He said security forces had killed large numbers of militants over the past 24-hours and were fighting to free civilians trapped as human shields in some 50 to 100 houses.

Abadi issued a statement on Monday saying he is delaying announcement of full liberation.

The city fell under control of ISIL two years ago. Thousands of people have been killed in the fighting. The UN says about 700,000 people are still displaced.

Here’s a quick look of the fall of Mosul and major turning points of its recapture.

Why is victory in Mosul so important for Iraq?