Story highlights "It is a matter of time" before victory declared, Prime Minister says

The Iraqi army is still fighting "pockets of ISIS," statement from PM says

Irbil, Iraq (CNN) Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in Mosul Sunday to announce victory over ISIS forces in the city.

"Al-Abadi said the battle is settled and the remaining pockets of ISIS are encircled in the last inches of the city," his media office said in a statement.

"It is a matter of time before we declare to our people the great victory."

The Prime Minister said the Iraqi military is fighting to free civilians whom ISIS is "using as human shields in approximately 50 to 100 houses."

Earlier Sunday, he tweeted that he'd arrived in the "liberated city of Mosul" and "congratulates the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people in achieving this great victory."

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi arrived in Mosul, Sunday, July 9.