they have fought the world's war in mosul and casually pass isis fighters. this man was with us at the start and has lost many friends. how does it feel? >> i feel tired. i have tried to run the operation here after all this nine months. >> reporter: brigadier planted the iraqi flag on the river bank the day before but this isn't a battle of flags anymore but for isis of smaller cells of survival. so, the fight went on even as the official declaration of iraq's prime minister announced victory. so it will be for iraq in the years ahead. the operations will continue in iraq against isis. they have towns still under their control and there will be a low-level insurgence against the government here.