ERBIL, Kurdsirtan Region - ISIS militants have fled areas surrounding Tikrit as Iraqi joint forces fought to capture strategic roads leading to the militant-occupied city, a Shiite militia spokesman has told Rudaw. “We managed to liberate lots of territory around Tikrit from ISIS and we also captured some roads overlooking Tikrit. This will help us liberate Tikrit very soon,” said Karim Nuri, official spokesperson of the People’s Mobilization Forces, a Shiite militia fighting alongside the Iraqi army. Nuri added: “People’s Mobilization Forces managed to retake control of the main Tikrit-Hawijja road which was in the hands of the ISIS militants in the area. With the control of this road, we will be able to liberate Tikrit more easily than before. We were also able to recapture the high ground in the areas being used by ISIS to hide.” The PMF spokesman said a fierce attack on the town of Ziraa forced many ISIS fighters to flee, reportedly leaving behind stockpiles of weapons and ammunition. “We have ramped up our efforts to start entering Tikrit, but the operation must not be in a rush because there are civilians in the city and ISIS militants have planted land mines around and across the city,” he added.
