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BAGHDAD, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Thursday presided over a parade in central Baghdad as Iraqi security forces made significant progress in battles against Islamic State (IS) militants to free the last major IS stronghold in Mosul.
The parade is also marking the July 14 anniversary of the 1958 overthrow of the Hashemite monarchy and declaration of the republic of Iraq.
With fighter jets roaring overhead, including U.S.-made F-16s, hundreds of soldiers, policemen and paramilitary units of Hashd Shaabi marched in front of a platform set up in Tahrir Square in downtown Baghdad.
Different kinds of cannons, tanks, armored vehicles, rocket launcher trucks and air defense rockets were on display in the parade, attended by Abadi, who is also the country's commander-in-chief of security forces, and other military officials and heads of foreign diplomatic missions.
The parade was held under tight security, with hundreds of soldiers and policemen blocking the main streets leading to central Baghdad.
The celebration came after last month's recapturing of the city of Fallujah from IS militants. Troops are continuing their advance northward for the long-awaited assault on the last major IS stronghold in Mosul, some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.
Iraq has been hit by waves of violence since the IS terrorist group took control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions in June 2014.
Many blame the current chronic instability, cycle of violence, and the emergence of extremist groups such as the IS group on the United States, which invaded Iraq in March 2003 under the pretext of seeking to destroy weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the country.
The war led to the ouster and eventual execution of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, but no WMD was found.
