About 30,000 Iraqi troops and militia backed by aircraft yesterday pounded jihadist positions in and around Tikrit in the biggest offensive yet to retake one of the Islamic State (IS) group’s main strongholds.
Government forces have been working their way north in recent months, notching up key victories against the group formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, but Tikrit, which has resisted them several times, is their toughest target yet.
Building on recent successes, commanders voiced hope that the broadest operation since IS overran swathes of the country in June last year would be a step toward the liberation of Mosul, the expremists’ main hub in Iraq.
Photo: AFP
“Security forces are advancing on three main fronts towards Tikrit, ad-Dawr [to the south] and al-Alam [to the north],” a senior army officer on the ground said by telephone.
The operation began in the early morning after being announced by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Sunday night.
The army officer said the forces involved in the battle were from the army, police, counter-terrorism units, a government-controlled volunteer group known as the Popular Mobilization units and local Sunni tribes opposed to the Islamic State.
“The attack is being carried out using fighter jets, helicopters and artillery targeting Tikrit to secure the advance and cut supply routes,” he said.
Military sources said Iraqi warplanes were involved, but it was not immediately clear whether foreign air support — Iranian or from the US-led coalition fighting IS — was also called in.
According to both Iraqi and Iranian media, Iranian General Qassem Soleimani — the commander of the al-Qods Force covert operations unit of Tehran’s elite Revolutionary Guards — was in Salaheddin Province to help coordinate operations.
Abadi urged the security forces on Sunday to spare civilians during the offensive. On social media, he called “for utmost care in protecting civilian lives and property.”
He appealed to residents to turn against the militants, who have suffered a string of military losses since Iraq’s foreign partners stepped up their support.
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