PressTV-- In a statement issued early Saturday, the army said Hawijah, located in Iraq’s oil-rich Kirkuk Province, and its surrounding areas were recaptured from Daesh following a weeks-long offensive.

With the capture of Hawija, one of the last ISIS strongholds 300 kilometers northwest of Baghdad, the only area that remains under control of Daesh is a stretch alongside Iraq’s western border with Syria.

The first phase of the operation to liberate Hawijah was launched on September 21.

On September 29, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi had announced the start of the second phase of the offensive to liberate Hawijah from the grip of Daesh.