BAGHDAD, Shawwal 22, 1435, Aug 18, 2014, SPA -- Backed by U.S. airstrikes, Iraqi and Kurdish forces on Monday wrested back control of the country's largest dam from militants of Islamic State, as fighting was reported to be underway for the rest of the strategic complex, AP cited a military spokesman in Baghdad as saying. Soon after the news broke, the Islamic State group, which two weeks ago captured the Mosul Dam spanning the Tigris River just north of the city of Mosul, denied the claim, insisting it was still in control of the facility. A U.S. defense official in Washington confirmed the Islamic State group has not entirely lost control of the Mosul Dam. "It's not over," the official said. The retaking of the dam would mark the first major victory for the Iraqi and Kurdish forces battling the Islamic militants since U.S. airstrikes began earlier this month. --SPA 19:12 LOCAL TIME 16:12 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w