Iraq wins back ‘territories’

MUNICH: Iraqi forces have won back half of the territory previously under the control of Islamic State militants, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told a security conference in Germany on Friday.

"The area we have liberated so far is more than half of what was occupied by Daesh before," he said, using the Arab term for the militant group.

"We intend this year to make it the final year and the last year for the existence of Daesh in Iraq."