First pictures from Ramadi in Iraq after it was recaptured from Isis

Iraq had earlier declared that it had liberated Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province west of Baghdad, and was sweeping it for bombs and booby traps left behind by IS fighters. Gen. Ahmed al-Belawi told The Associated Press that Abadi kicked off the visit by meeting security and provincial officials for the latest updates.

Iraqi forces on Monday raised the national flag above the main government complex in Ramadi.

All the bridges leading into Ramadi had been destroyed before the advance began, USA and Iraqi officials said.

Iraqi forces, though backed by U.S.-led coalition air strikes, had been slowed in Ramadi by explosives planted in streets and booby-trapped buildings by Islamic State fighters. “2016 will be the year of the big and final victory, when [ISIL’s] presence in Iraq will be terminated”, Abadi said in a speech.

Authorities have not provided casualty figures from the fighting for Ramadi.

“He is excited about this victory, because he managed to remove this blot from his historical record as commander-in-chief of the armed forces”, said Hashimi. Iraqi military forces on Monday retook a strategic government complex in the city of…

Daesh has suffered a series of defeats in the cities of Sinjar, Tikrit and now in Ramadi, and it is now facing difficulty to hold Fallujah, he said.

“The continued progress of the Iraqi Security Forces in the fight to retake Ramadi is a testament to their courage and determination, and our shared commitment to push ISIL out of its safe-havens”, the White House said in a statement.

It will be harder to recapture Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, which the Islamic State seized in June 2014, stunning the world with its military strength.

Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, fell into Daesh’s hands last May.

“[Hollande] congratulated him on the liberation of the town of Ramadi by Iraqi forces, which constitutes the most important victory since the start of the fight against the terrorist organisation Daesh [an alternative name for ISIS]”, the president’s office said in a statement following a phone call between the two leaders. It still controls Mosul and Falluja, which sit between Ramadi and Baghdad, almost 60 miles to the east.

But Warren, the coalition spokesman, said Sunni fighters “were not a significant player” in the assault on Ramadi, but were mainly holding ground already cleared by the army.

“The Royal Air Force s close air support operations around Ramadi in recent days have played a key role in the battle”, Hammond said.

A spokesman for Iraq’s counter terrorism forces, Sabah al-Numan said that, a precise planning and constant coordination with the USA led worldwide coalition and local Sunni tribes, tipped the balance on the battlefield.

Iraqi state TV reported that Haider al-Abadi was in Ramadi but offered no further details.