Islamic State fighters are surrounded and preparing to make a last stand in Tikrit, the Iraqi home town of Saddam Hussein.
"We don't want to be rushed because we want to avoid casualties," police Staff Major General Bahaa al-Azzawi told the AFP news agency in Albu Ajil, a village across the Tigris River from Tikrit.
He added: "Tikrit is sealed off from all sides." All towns and villages on the river's eastern bank have been under the control of anti-IS forces since Thursday.
Black and white IS flags on walls have been painted over with slogans cursing the jihadist group or praising Shia militia groups.
Tikrit is on the west bank of the Tigris and until floating bridges are put across the river by army engineers, the nearest bridge is in Samarra, nearly 30 miles to the south.
IS took Tikrit as part of an invasion from Syria last June. Recapturing Tikrit would be the Iraqi government's biggest success against them so far.
Casualty numbers are not available, but AFP reported dozens of bodies being driven south to Najaf. IS is using suicide car bombs, snipers and booby traps against the advancing forces.
Tikrit is the birthplace of Iraq's former dictator Saddam Hussein, and is a predominantly Sunni Muslim town.
Remnants of his Baath party are said to have cooperated with the IS fighters against the Shia dominated government in Baghdad.
The fighting has raised fears of sectarian killings because most of the Iraqi forces are Shia. Militia groups backed by Shia Iran are also helping the Iraqi army.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Last Stand For IS Fighters In Tikrit Battle
Dengan url
http://jidatlancip.blogspot.com/2015/03/last-stand-for-is-fighters-in-tikrit.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Last Stand For IS Fighters In Tikrit Battle
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Last Stand For IS Fighters In Tikrit Battle
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar