 The town and subdistrict fell to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in June 2014.It was reported that its recapture was of strategic importance for the offensive to retake Mosul in 2016.In August 2016, Qayyarah was fully captured by Iraqi forces, with Lieutenant General Riyadh Jalal Tawfiq stating that they controlled all parts of the city and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi hailing the capture of the city as a "key step in the fight" against ISIL.