THESE are the first images inside the ancient city of Hatra – just days after Iraqi forces liberated the area.

The Iraqi UNESCO World Heritage Site which once withstood the might of the Roman Empire had until recently been used by warped jihadis for target practice.

Now, The Sun's Owen Holdaway can reveal what is left of the ancient site after the thugs of ISIS were finally pushed back.

What he found was evidence of the horrors meted out in the once-great historical site.

Mannequins were perched on top of stone monuments to be used as target practice for jihadis, while dolls used to teach children how to behead enemies remained littered about the ruins.

Terror group ISIS captured the area in 2014 and broadcast their destruction of the site on camera.

An operation, which started last Tuesday and involved around 2,000 fighters from the Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU), led to the liberation of the site.

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Veteran fighter and chief commander of the operation, Said Jabri, said: "There was not much fighting at the ruins.

"ISIS had fled there…[But] they did blow up the bridge and try and prevent us from entering the town.

"The biggest fight was in the [nearby] city centre, where they attacked us with car bombs."

Commander Jabri added that around 75 ISIS militants were killed before the area was freed, which included four militants who attacked them in suicide vehicles.

Though the area is not completely secure, commander Jabri is confident that ISIS will not return.

He said: "We have not received any counter attacks yet, and the days before the operation our drones saw most of them flee to the [Syrian] border."

It is believed that the site was used as a military training centre and bombing range by the jihadists.

Commander Jabri said: "There is some damage to the area, but the main buildings are still in tact.

"But smugglers did take some artefacts from the area, which ISIS have likely sold for a profit."

The battle in Hatra lasted 42-hours and the area is not completely safe as fighters say the site was booby-trapped by ISIS.

The group which liberated the site has said it has found at least four IEDs – which have since been defused.

Commander Jabri added: "I am thankful that ISIS has not destroyed much of Hatra.

"This is Iraq's history and it is important to preserve it."

Last month, the horrifying moment three cops are blown up after an ISIS jihadi detonated a suicide belt in Mosul was caught on camera.

The officers are seen closing in on a suspect, who appears to be lying in the furrow of a field, when the belt is detonated – sending them flying.

The military now controls the eastern districts and are making advances in the west.

Islamic State fighters, holding out in the Old City, are surrounded in the northwest and are using booby traps, sniper and mortar fire in a desperate bid to ward off Government fighters.

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