The Iraqi army regained control over four cities in Salaheddine from the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group

The Iraqi army regained control over four cities in Salaheddine from the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group, the Ministry of Defense said Thursday.

Over the past two weeks, "the army managed to clear four new cities in Salaheddine province - Al-Dhuluiya, Al-Ishaqi, Al-Mutassim and Balad - and is now in full control of them," said army commander Lt. Gen. Sabah Al-Fatlawi.

The Iraqi Armed Forces killed 243 terrorists and destroyed their dens and scores of their vehicles, as they continued air and land operations against the ISIL.

Forces in Al-Anbar retook Haditha Dam, killing 70 terrorists that had seized control of the dam for hours.

70 additional terrorists were also killed in airstrikes in Sinjar, where thousands of Yazidis have been trapped, announced the Iraqi Defense Ministry.

The Iraqi Air Force also launched airstrikes targeting ISIL positions in Diyala Province, killing 50 terrorists.

Clashes between Iraqi troops and ISIL terrorists in Fallujah, west of Baghdad, killed four children Thursday, as the United Nations announced its highest level of emergency for the Arab country's humanitarian crisis.

The UN declared the situation in Iraq a "Level 3 Emergency" - a development that will trigger additional goods, funds and assets to respond to the needs of the displaced, said UN special representative Nickolay Mladenov.
A total of 1.5 million Iraqis have been displaced by the fighting since the terrorists captured Iraq's second-largest city, Mosul, in June and quickly swept over other parts of the country.