"The commander in chief of the armed forces Haider al-Abadi arrived in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulated the heroic fighters and Iraqi people for the great victory," his office said in a statement.

Earlier, counter-terrorism forces were pictured planting the Iraqi flag on the western bank of the Tigris River after advancing through the Old City where Isil fighters have made their last stand.

It marked the end of the fight that lasted nearly nine months – longer than the Battle for Stalingrad – and put an end to the terror group’s three year rule over Iraq’s second city.