WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The Islamic State (ISIL) terrorist group has lost up to 30 percent of its territory in Iraq to US-led coalition forces, the US Department of Defense (DoD) announced in a statement.
“Some 25 percent to 30 percent of Iraqi territory has been taken back from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [ISIL] terrorist group control by coalition forces,” Army Col. Steve Warren said in the DoD statement on Monday.
Warren explained that the combination of “coalition air power and Iraqi ground forces” are affecting ISIL’s ability to move and hold its territory.
“This equates to approximately 5,000 square miles to 6,000 square miles [of Iraq territory] since the peak of [ISIL] territorial influence in Iraq in August 2014," Warren said. "ISIL has lost large areas where it was once dominant."
The DoD announcement comes as the US-led coalition against the ISIL launched a total of 17 airstrikes on the militants’ positions in Iraq and Syria from Sunday to Monday, according to the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve update on Monday.
Tikrit has been under ISIL control since June 2014. On March 31, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi declared victory over ISIL militants in the city.
Iraq is one of the countries suffering the advance of the ISIL since 2014.
In August 2014, the US-led coalition began carrying out airstrikes against ISIL targets in Iraq.
