Iraq Retakes Hotly Contest Refinery: US Central Command

The Iraqi government is in full control of a key oil refinery located just north of Tikrit, the U.S. officials confirmed Sunday.



Iraqi forces previously wrested control of the Bayji oil refinery facility from Daesh fighters in November 2014, but the extremists breached the facility's perimeter earlier this month prompting fierce clashes.



Iraqi reinforcements have arrived at the sprawling oil refinery and have begun to fortify its defenses after clearing the militants, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement.



Over the past nine days, the U.S.-led coalition carried out 47 airstrikes in and near Bayji in support of Iraqi forces, the command added.



Lt. Gen. James L. Terry, commander Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve, said that Iraqi forces "have demonstrated great resolve and proven that the tactical momentum resides with them, not only in Bayji, but in many other locations throughout Iraq."



"Daesh clearly used the opportunity to attack the oil refinery facility in order to bolster its online propaganda activities," he added.



The retaking of the refinery closely follows the consolidation of 11 villages in northern Iraq by Kurdish Peshmerga forces over the weekend.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Washington DC