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Iraqi forces closing in on Tikrit after capturing nearby towns

Xinhua, March 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

Iraqi security forces on Sunday retook control of a town in Salahudin province after fierce clashes with the Islamic State (IS) militants, a provincial security source said.

And the Iraqi troops continued their advance and clashes with the extremist militants across the province.

The troops and allied Shiite and Sunni militias, covered by Iraqi aircraft, entered the town of Albu Ajil near provincial capital city of Tikrit from directions of south, east and north.

Sporadic clashes are still underway inside the town as the IS militants are still fighting in some small pockets in western side of the town, the source said.

The troops will enter the adjacent town of al-Alam later, which will be the last area to be freed before fulfilling the siege of the major militant-seized city of Tikrit, just west of al-Alam, and the security forces are heavily pounding Tikrit, the source added.

Albu Ajil, some 50 square km, is the main stronghold of the IS militants in Salahudin province, as many of its sons have joined the IS militant group and are representing the backbone of the terrorist group in Salahudin province, according to the source.

Separately, eight security members were killed and 31 wounded when several roadside bombs struck a convoy of military vehicles on a main road in north of the city of Samarra, some 120 km north of Baghdad, the source said.

Also in the province, a suicide bomber blew up his explosive vest at a military base, housing Shiite militiamen affiliated to the Iranian-backed Saraya al-Zahraa, or al-Zahraa Brigades near the town of Mkesheifa, about 20 km north of Samarra, the source added.

In addition, an army helicopter gunship pounded IS vehicles which were attacking Iraqi forces advancing toward the town of al-Alam, east of the provincial capital city of Tikrit, destroying four vehicles and killing at least eight of the extremist militants, the source said.

The Iraqi security forces began their operation last week via five paths; two from Mkesheifa and Sur Shnas, south of Tikrit, two from Udheim and Tuz Khurmato, east of Tikrit, and the last from the Speicher airbase, north of Tikrit, according to security sources. Endit