Iraqi army claims key victory over ISIL in Ramadi

Elsewhere, Kurdish forces are reported to have killed several ISIL fighters during a raid in Hawija, a town in Kirkuk province.
The clashes in Hawija occurred on Friday night, the Kurdish Rudaw news agency reported citing police officials.
The report said the raid was launched to free Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers from ISIL captivity but it was not clear whether any were found.
The operation reportedly involved American special forces and left Hussein Umari Assafi, an ISIL commander, dead, but US officials denied any role.
Summer offensive
ISIL captured Hawija during its offensive in the summer of 2014, along with most of western Iraq and parts of Kurdish-controlled territory in the north.
In October, a joint US-Kurdish raid in Hawija  freed about 70 hostages from ISIL, who were purportedly being prepared for execution.
At least six ISIL fighters were arrested in that raid and another 20 killed. A US soldier was killed during the clashes.
ISIL is reported to be holding a large number of Peshmerga soldiers, Iraqi security forces and civilians from minority groups.
It frequently conducts mass executions, which it films for its propaganda purposes.
ISIL also holds hostages for ransom or exchanges them for its own prisoners held by Kurdish security forces.

Source: Al Jazeera