MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced that the Iraqi Armed Forces had started the second phase of a military operation to liberate the central province of Salah al-Din from ISIL.
"The army units and fighters of people's militia managed to completely liberate Baiji oil refinery, there are no signs that some terrorists remain inside," Samir Shuvayli told Iraq's Alsumaria news network.
ISIL has occupied territories in the Salah al-Din province since 2014. In March, the Iraqi army launched an anti-ISIL operation in the province, liberating several of its districts, including the regional capital of Tikrit.
In this image posted on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015, by the Rased News Network, a Facebook page affiliated with Islamic State, shows Islamic State militants preparing to fire a mortar to shell towards Syrian government forces positions at Tal Arn in Aleppo province, Syria
© AP Photo / Islamic State militant website via AP
