The Islamic State group seized swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014 as it declared a "caliphate", but has since lost all the towns it held aside from pockets of territory.

Forces backed by a US-led coalition have ousted the jihadists from Iraqi bastions such as Mosul and the extremists also have lost control of their Syrian stronghold Raqa.

Here are some of the significant losses for IS:

- Syria -

KOBANE: The Kurdish town in northern Syria became an early symbol of the fight against IS when the jihadists were driven out by US-backed Kurdish forces in January 2015 after a battle of more than four months.

MANBIJ: IS seized this strategic town near the border with Turkey in 2014 and used it as a hub for moving jihadists and supplies to and from Europe.

It was recaptured in August 2016 after a two-month battle led by a coalition of Arab and Kurdish fighters backed by US air strikes.

DABIQ: Syrian rebels supported by Turkish warplanes and artillery captured Dabiq in October 2016. Under IS control since August 2014, the fight for the city was significant because of a prophecy that Christian and Muslim forces will battle there at the end of time.

AL-BAB: In February 2017, the Turkish army announces it has taken full control of Al-Bab, the IS last bastion in northern Aleppo province.

PALMYRA: This ancient desert city was seized by IS in May 2015 when the jihadists blew up UNESCO-listed Roman-era temples and looted ancient relics.

Syrian regime forces backed by Russian warplanes and allied militia ousted them in March 2016 but the extremists won back control by the end of that year before being expelled a second time in March 2017.

AL-MAYADIN: On October 14, 2017, regime forces retook Al-Mayadin town in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor.

RAQA: In October 2017, the Arab-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the US coalition, announces the full recapture of Raqa after more than four months of fighting.

DEIR EZZOR: In November 2017, Syria's army seizes Deir Ezzor, driving the jihadists from the last major city where they had a presence.

ALBU KAMAL: The army later the same month says it has taken full control of Albu Kamal in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, its last urban stronghold.

- Iraq -

TIKRIT: The hometown of late dictator Saddam Hussein, north of Baghdad, fell to IS in June 2014. It was retaken in March 2015 by Iraqi troops, police and Shiite-dominated paramilitary forces.

SINJAR: Iraqi Kurdish forces backed by US-led coalition air strikes recaptured this northern town in November 2015 after jihadists had killed and abducted thousands of members of the Yazidi minority.

RAMADI/FALLUJAH: The capital of Anbar, Iraq's largest province, Ramadi was declared fully recaptured in February 2016. Neighbouring Fallujah, the first Iraqi city seized by IS in January 2014, was reclaimed in June 2016.

QAYYARAH: Iraqi forces backed by coalition aircraft retook Qayyarah in August 2016, providing Baghdad with a platform to move on Mosul, the country's second city 60 kilometres (40 miles) away.

MOSUL: Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declares victory in Mosul on July 9 this year after a fierce nine-month offensive.

HAWIJA: On October 5, Abadi announced the recapture of Hawija, one of the few remaining IS holdouts.

Al-QAIM: On November 3, Iraqi forces reclaim Al-Qaim, the main town in the group's last bastion in the country along the border with Syria.

RAWA: On November 17, government forces ousted the IS from the last town it held in the country, also on the border with Syria.

BATTLE FOR THE DESERT: On November 23, 2017, Iraqi forces launched a sweep through the western desert between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to flush out remaining IS fighters.

END OF WAR IN IRAQ: On December 9, Abadi declares "the end of the war" against IS in Iraq and says Iraqi forces are in full control of the border with Syria.

Tweet

Fewer than 3,000 IS fighters left in Iraq, Syria: coalition
Baghdad (AFP) Dec 5, 2017
There are fewer than 3,000 Islamic State group fighters clinging on in the remnants of its self-styled caliphate in Iraq and Syria, the US-led coalition battling the jihadists said Tuesday. IS is currently fighting for survival in the handful of sparsely populated pockets of territory it still holds, a far cry from the vast swathes of ground it captured in 2014. "Current estimates are th ... read more

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