Qayyara is the largest Iraqi sub-district that was retaken by the Iraqi Army after two years of occupation by the Islamic State (ISIS) forces. Rudaw was one of the first media organizations to arrive there to film both the jubilation of liberation and the debris of war.

After a three-day military offensive, the Iraqi army recaptured Qayyara on Thursday. Its people are happy. After two years living under ISIS, their town is now free.

Qayyara’s oilfields were an important source of income for ISIS, and its loss is a blow to the militants.

This black smoke is a bother to people. Although it has environmental and health hazards for people of the town, it (smoke from burning oil) is a natural asset that has been burning and wasting for a week.

Many houses have been burnt. And the thick oil is pouring into other alleys as well.



The liberation of Qayyara, the biggest town in Nineveh province, paves the way for giant advances into Mosul.



"Some 56 oil wells are located in Qayyara, which was an important source of income for ISIS. And there are many important military bases here,” an Iraqi army official, told Rudaw.



Qayyara was liberated in three days.



Officials say that without help from its inhabitants, it could not easily be cleared of ISIS.