Salim al-Jabouri said in a Sunday statement that the full liberation of Ramadi, Anbar province, from ISIL would be a heavy defeat for the terrorist group in the Arab country and a beginning for recapturing the northern province of Nineveh.
Hailing the self-sacrifices and heroism of the Iraqi army troops and popular forces in their fight against ISIL, he said such victories will destroy the morale of the Takfiri-Wahhabi terrorists and prepare the ground for more advances and gains in the future.
His remarks came after the Iraqi forces on Sunday managed to recapture the former government compound in central Ramadi, the last stronghold of ISIL Takfiri militants in the western city.
“The complex is under our complete control, there is no presence whatsoever of Daesh (ISIL) fighters in the complex,” Sabah al-Numan, the spokesman for the country’s counter-terrorism units, said.
“The operation is almost wrapped up. Our forces will enter in the coming hours,” he added.
The offensive to clear the city from the last ISIL stronghold began five days ago. In its next offensive, the army plans to move to retake the northern city of Mosul.