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.
03-17-2015, 06:17 AM
Minister says Iraq halts Tikrit operation to avoid losses
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.
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