(L to R) FIFA legends Abdulrahim Jumaa, Ivan Cordoba, Mikael Silvestre and Eric Abidal pose for a photo with the tounrament madcot "Dhabi" next to the official trophy during the draw of the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2017 football tournament in Abu Dhabi on October 9, 2017. The tournament will be held in Abu Dhabi and Al-Ain from December 6 to 16. GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP

By Ty Joplin Combined Iraqi Forces and Pro-Iraq militias announced Oct. 5 that Hawija, the last urban stronghold of ISIS in Iraq, was taken from the terrorist group after only 15 days of fighting. Shortly thereafter, on Oct. 9, Javad Talibawi, the spokesperson for the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), announced a new campaign to remove ISIS from their last holdouts in Western Iraq, along the border with Syria. As of now, ISIS only holds two major towns in Iraq--Rawa and al-Qa’im, and both are under threat by Iraq and ...

(Top row) Syria's Khaled Almbayed, Mouaiad Alajaan, Omar Khrbin, Tamer Hag Mohamad, Hadi Almasri, Omar Alsoma, (bottom row) Yousef Kalfa, Fahad Youssef, Ibrahim Alma, Mahmoud al-Mawas and Zaher Almedani pose for a team photograph before the 2018 World Cup qualifying football match between Syria and Australia at the Hang Jebat Stadium in Malacca on October 5, 2017. MOHD RASFAN / AFP

Liverpool's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah arrives for a team training session at the club's Melwood training complex in Liverpool, north west England, on September 25, 2017 , on the eve of their Champions League Group E football match against Spartak Moscow in Russia. Paul ELLIS / AFP

Olympic gold medalist Rafer Johnson (L), Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti push the ignition switch to light the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum's Olympic Cauldron as International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and LA 2028 Chairman Casey Wasserman (R) stand by on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California to celebrate the announcement that the city will host the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. DAVID MCNEW / AFP

Tunisia's football team poses for a picture during the World Cup 2018 qualifying football match between Tunisia and Congo on September 1, 2017 at the Rades Olympic Stadium in Tunis. FETHI BELAID / AFP

LAS VEGAS, NV - AUGUST 26: (L-R) Floyd Mayweather Jr. throws a punch at Conor McGregor during their super welterweight boxing match on August 26, 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP Ethan Miller / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP

Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar is a controversial figure. While some see him as a neccessary strongman to tackle Libya's Islamist groups, other believe he is on track to become a military dictator in the fragile, war-torn state. Here is a timeline of the key moments in his life.

Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim competes in the men's high jump during the 2017 IAAF Birmingham Diamond League athletics meeting at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham on August 20, 2017. Oli SCARFF / AFP

Napoli's Algerian defender Faouzi Ghoulam (R) celebrates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A football match Hellas Verona vs Napoli at the Marcantonio Bentegodi stadium in Verona on August 19, 2017. MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP

Bronze medallist Syria's Majd Eddin Ghazal poses on the podium during the victory ceremony for the men's high jump athletics event at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium in London on August 13, 2017. Ben STANSALL / AFP