MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Baiji is located 130 miles north of Baghdad and is best known for a nearby oil refinery, the largest in the country. The city was seized by ISIL in June 2014. Iraqi forces began their operation to free Baiji in October. On Sunday, media reported that the Iraqi army has regained full control of the entire city.
"It's too early to declare Baiji liberated," the official told CNN. According to the source, Iraqi military, along with Shiite militias, have so far cleared only the northern half of the city. Their movement to the south has been slowed by snipers and booby traps.
The Islamic State is a Sunni jihadist group that started to seize vast territories in Iraq and Syria in 2014. IS-affiliated groups also operate in Yemen, Libya, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
