Iraqi forces have captured Islamic State's last stronghold in northern Iraq, leaving the militant group holed up in pockets of land by the Syrian border, across which its self-proclaimed "caliphate" once stretched.
The town of Hawija and the surrounding areas were captured in an offensive carried out by US-backed Iraqi government troops and Iranian-trained and armed Shia paramilitary groups known as Popular Mobilisation.
Lt. Colonel Jeff Addicott tells me that this is a victory to be celebrated - but warns that the way we are winning is setting up our NEXT military challenge.