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Iraqi Forces Recapture Remains Of Historic Mosul Mosque From ISIS

In a major victory in the fight against ISIS, Iraqi forces recaptured the remains of Mosul's Great Mosque of al-Nuri.

By: Briana Koeneman

Posted at 2:05 PM, Jun 29, 2017

and last updated 2017-06-29 14:05:46-04

In a major victory in the fight against ISIS, Iraqi forces recaptured the remains of Mosul's Great Mosque of al-Nuri.

Iraq's military confirmed Thursday that troops reclaimed what's left of the destroyed mosque and continued to push through the city.

It's a symbolic win for Iraqi forces, who have been fighting to recapture Mosul from ISIS for more than eight months.

In 2014, ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi made his first and only public appearance on video at the historic mosque shortly after his group declared its caliphate.

The extremist group blew up the mosque and its famous leaning minaret June 21 as Iraqi forces closed in.

Iraqi authorities estimate only a few hundred ISIS militants are left the city. And officials expect to retake all of Mosul in the coming days.

But the victories have come at a substantial cost. Since the battle began in October 2016, the United Nations says hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced and that many others are trapped in the city or are being used as human shields.