Iraqi forces begin operation to retake Hawija from IS group

Iraq's prime minister says Iraqi forces have begun the operation to retake the town of Hawija from the Islamic State group.

Haider al-Abadi says the operation began at dawn Thursday in a statement released by his office, just two days after Iraqi forces began an offensive against IS holdouts in Iraq's vast western Anbar province.

Hawija, 150 miles (240 kilometers) north of Baghdad, is one of the last pockets of territory held by the extremists in Iraq.

Iraqi and coalition planes have stepped up a campaign of airstrikes on Hawija earlier this month, targeting IS bases and weapons facilities.

Iraqi forces declared victory over the extremists in Mosul in July and in the western town of Tal Afar the following month.