US applauds Iraqi gov't announcement of full liberation from IS control

WASHINGTON, Dec 9 (KUNA) -- The US applauded Saturday the Iraqi Government's announcement of the complete liberation of all Iraqi territory from the so-called Islamic State (IS) control after a "courageous three year campaign of intense fighting." State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement that the Iraqi announcement "signals the last remnants of (IS)'s self-proclaimed "caliphate" in Iraq have been erased and the people living in those areas have been freed from (IS)'s brutal control." She added that the US "joins the Government of Iraq in stressing that Iraq's liberation does not mean the fight against terrorism, and even against (IS), in Iraq is over.
"Together, we must be vigilant in countering all extremist ideologies to prevent the return of (IS) or the emergence of threats by other terrorist groups," she stressed.
She noted "throughout its vile occupation of large areas of Iraq, (IS) showed its despicable nature by using children and other civilians as human shields and turning hospitals, mosques, universities, and schools into weapons-making and storage facilities and bases for its terrorist operations." Nauert affirmed that "the Global Coalition has been proud to support the Iraqi Security Forces who fought bravely to defeat these terrorists." She indicated that "beyond human casualties, (IS) left a trail of destruction in its wake, with an unprecedented number of Iraqis displaced from their homes and massive damage to infrastructure," and that the US "has contributed nearly USD 1.7 billion in humanitarian assistance and committed more than USD 265 million in stabilization assistance to Iraq since 2014." "We remain committed to standing with the Government of Iraq and the Iraqi people to stabilize areas liberated from (IS) control," she reiterated. (end) si.hm