ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Joint Iraqi forces have retaken control of the Baiji town hall, a Hashd al-Shaabi official announced, and reinforcements have arrived in the town in order to clear it of Islamic State extremists.

“Iraqi joint forces have launched an assault on ISIS militants inside the town of Baiji, recapturing the Baiji municipal building from the militants,” Hamid Alhajim, a Hashd al-Shaabi commander, said Wednesday. Hashd al-Shaabi is the Arabic term used for Popular Mobilization Units or PMUs. The PMUs are volunteer Shiite militias working with the Iraqi army against ISIS.

Alhajim added “the forces also headed to the areas of Mazra’a and Albu Aiji in southern Baiji and coalition warplanes have been bombing the area.”

ISIS released a video via social media earlier this week showing what it claims are its fighters controlling parts of the Baiji oil refinery, Iraq’s largest.

The town was captured by ISIS in June 2014 but the refinery facility remained under the control of the Iraqi army’s Golden Brigade.

Rudaw