HAWIJA, IRAQ (Iraqi Federal Police/CNN) - Iraq launched the second phase of its operation to recapture Hawija and the surrounding villages from ISIS, according to a statement by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Friday.
The Iraqi army, federal police, counter-terrorism forces, and local Shiite militias are all participating in the operation. Hawija is located in Kirkuk Province, north of Baghdad.
ISIS captured the city back in 2014, and it is now considered the last big Iraqi city under their control.
ISIS has been steadily losing ground in Syria and Iraq with the help of U.S. forces.
Copyright 2017 Iraqi Federal Police via CNN. All rights reserved.
