in 2014 the area seized by isil along with neighbouring mosul. on 11 february 2014, 15 iraqi soldiers were killed in a pre-dawn assault on an army camp guarding an oil pipeline near hamam al-alil. in july 2016, f16 fighters of the international coalition against isil had destroyed bases of the terrorist organisation in the area. during the 2016 battle of mosul the town was attacked by the iraqi army in the final days of october 2016 and reportedly "90 percent surrounded". also it was reported that isil executed 42 civilians in the town.