Minister says Iraq halts Tikrit operation to avoid losses

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https://s.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/XZGTb3BIH0Gu5xL1ckyj7Q--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9NzU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en-AE_XE/News/AFPMideastEN/be725b6a016f517429d0fe65f58c6ff6d40ed156.jpg (https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/minister-says-iraq-halts-tikrit-operation-avoid-losses-204242783.html)Iraqi forces have halted a massive operation to retake the city of Tikrit from the Islamic State group to avoid casualties and protect infrastructure, Interior Minister Mohammed Ghabban said Monday. "What remains today is a very small part and it is the centre of the city of Tikrit," Ghabban said at a news conference in Samarra, **rth of Baghdad. Ghabban's assertion that most of the city has been retaken is also called into question by the fact that pro-government forces were still fighting to retake the Qadisiyah area in **rth Tikrit at the weekend. The Islamic State group, which overran large areas **rth and west of Baghdad last year, has littered Tikrit with bombs, rigged houses with explosives and built other defences such as trenches and dirt barriers, ******rs say.




أكثر... (https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/minister-says-iraq-halts-tikrit-operation-avoid-losses-204242783.html)