ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi security forces on Saturday regained some control of a vital stretch of road near Tikrit after killing several Islamic State jihadists and defusing more than 100 mines along the stretch, police said.
Iraqi forces secured nearly 20km of the main road between Tikrit and Samara, according to Salahadin province police, which is less than half the distance of the 50km road between the two cities.
“During the operations carried out by Iraqi security forces, supported by tribal fighters near Samara, an attack was launched and it was successfully concluded by causing heavy ISIS casualties,” police told Rudaw.
In addition to diffusing the mines, security forces also destroyed several vehicles laced with explosives that were intended for suicide attacks, said police. Heavy weapons ammunition was also taken.
Iraqi security forces recaptured the island of Samara on Thursday amid in an ongoing operation that has so far killed 150 ISIS fighters, Iraq’s defense ministry announced Thursday.
