Iraqi military and volunteer forces have reached the center of a strategic town near the Daesh stronghold of Mosul.
Iraqi army troops and pro-government volunteers on Thursdayseized the center of Shirqat, a key town located 100 kmsouth of Mosul, a source with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command in Salahuddin Province said.
The Arabic-language al-Sumeria television said Iraqi troops had taken control of the governors office in the town and hoisted the Iraqi flag over the building.
The network also said the town had been liberated. It seems, however, that areas of the town still remain to be purged of the terrorists.
Three army personnel were purportedly killed during clashes with Daesh terrorists in the town.
Army troops and allied fighters had earlier managed to free villages surrounding Shirqat.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="555"]
An Iraqi military helicopter flies above the vehicles of the Popular Mobilization Units during an operation in Iraq, March 2, 2016. (Photo by AFP)[/caption]Mosul, which is the second largest city in Iraq, has been under the Daesh control for more than two years.
Iraqi security forces have been closing in on the city in recent operations to retake it.
Violence has plagued the northern and western parts of Iraq ever since Daesh launched an offensive in the country in June 2014, and seized territory.
By Press TV
