Islamic State now controls less than seven percent of Iraq, military says

Via Billy

A member of the Iraqi Federal Police observes IS positions from an area controlled by Iraqi forces in western Mosul on Tuesday 

The Islamic State (IS) group now controls less than seven percent of Iraq, down from the 40 percent it held nearly three years ago, a military spokesman said Tuesday.

Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes and other support are now battling IS inside the second city of Mosul, after retaking much of the other territory the militants had seized.

"Daesh controlled 40 percent of Iraqi land" in 2014, Brigadier General Yahya Rasool told reporters, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"As of March 31 [this year], they only held 6.8 percent of Iraqi territory," said Rasool, the spokesman of the Joint Operations Command coordinating the anti-militant effort.

More @ Middle East Eye