The Iraqi army has declared that Islamic State’s “fictitious state had fallen” after troops recaptured the iconic mosque from where the group’s leader declared its so-called caliphate.

The 12th century Grand Mosque of al-Nuri - now lying in ruins after the jihadists blew it up with explosives last week - was liberated on Thursday exactly three years to the day since Isil proclaimed its caliphate and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi its caliph.

The mosque's famous leaning minaret, which earned the nickname of Iraq’s Tower of Pisa, had dominated skyline of Iraq’s second city for centuries and is pictured on the country’s 10,000 dinar banknote.