Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Friday security forces have begun clearing cities of ISIL terrorists who have stormed several provinces central and northern Iraq.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Friday security forces have begun clearing cities of ISIL terrorists who have stormed several provinces central and northern Iraq.

Security forces "began their work to clear all our dear cities from these terrorists," Maliki said in a statement, without giving details of where or when operations had started.

Maliki highly appreciated the religious reference's call on the Iraqis to join the regular military forces and asserted that the army regained the battlefield initiative.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki travelled to the embattled city of Samarra on Friday for a security meeting, Governor Ahmed Abdullah said.

Maliki aimed also at checking the security situation in the county which houses the revered Imam Al-Askari shrine.