Iraq launches major assault to retake Tikrit from IS

March 03, 2015 01:35

Some 30,000 Iraqi troops and militia backed by aircraft pounded jihadists in and around Tikrit today in the biggest offensive yet to retake one of the Islamic State group's main strongholds.

Government forces have battled their way north for months, notching up key victories against IS, but Tikrit has been their toughest target yet with the jihadists having resisted them several times.

Commanders voiced hope the broadest operation since IS overran swathes of the country last year would be a step towards the liberation of Mosul, the jihadists' main hub in Iraq.

"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 told AFP by telephone.

The operation began in early morning after being announced by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi the previous evening.

The army officer said the forces involved were from the army, police, counter-terrorism units, a government-controlled volunteer group known as the Popular Mobilisation units and Sunni tribes.

Military sources said 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.

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