Security official: 150 ISIS fighters killed in Tikrit
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi Federal Police said more than 150 Islamic State fighters have been killed in the ongoing liberation of Tikrit and all of the militants' bases and facilities in the city have been captured.
“Our forces defused an estimated 520 planted landmines inside the city, while taking control of 13 factories, which were used for making bombs and mines by ISIS fighters,” Jawdat Shakir, Iraqi federal police commander, told local media.
Iraqi security forces said at least 24 hours is still needed to quell remaining pockets of ISIS resistance inside the city.
The Tikrit operation to drive out the extremists began on March 2. Last week, a stalemate in the fighting was broken by airstrikes launched by the US-led coalition after a request from Baghdad.
“Our forces defused an estimated 520 planted landmines inside the city, while taking control of 13 factories, which were used for making bombs and mines by ISIS fighters,” Jawdat Shakir, Iraqi federal police commander, told local media.
Iraqi security forces said at least 24 hours is still needed to quell remaining pockets of ISIS resistance inside the city.
The Tikrit operation to drive out the extremists began on March 2. Last week, a stalemate in the fighting was broken by airstrikes launched by the US-led coalition after a request from Baghdad.