Iraq Marks First Anniversary of Victory Over Daesh

Local Editor

Iraq on Monday celebrated the anniversary of its costly victory over Daesh [the Arabic acronym for terrorist ‘ISIS/ISIL’ group], which has lost virtually all the territory it once occupied.

The Iraqi government declared victory last December after a grueling three-year war that claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people and displaced hundreds. Entire towns and neighborhoods were reduced to rubble in the fighting.

A national holiday was declared on Monday. Checkpoints in the capital were decorated with Iraqi flags and balloons, as security forces patrolled the streets playing patriotic music.

As part of the celebrations, authorities plan to reopen parts of Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone — home to key government offices and embassies — to the public. The move is billed as an act of transparency following protests against corruption and poor public services.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team