Iraqi forces are drawing up a strategy to flush out the few remaining Daesh militants from central Tikrit, the Security Committee of Salahuddin province council said.
More than 20,000 Iraqi troops and militiamen have surrounded the Sunni city of Tikrit and are preparing to assault the remaining Daesh fighters in the coming days.
Iraqi forces, backed by volunteer forces, control large areas of Tikrit, however, Iraqi forces are planning to finish the liberation of Tikrit in a street-by-street sweep.
Less than a hundred Daesh fighters are believed to remain encircled in central Tikrit. But the operation to liberate the city is far from over. Militants are well protected by snipers and bombs planted across the city.
Iraq launched a major offensive against Daesh in Tikrit two weeks ago. The operation is seen as key to liberating Iraq's second largest city of Mosul, the Darsh's stronghold in Iraq.
After liberating Tikrit the military plans to drive on to Mosul, the largest northern city.
Meanwhile, 170 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters joined the battle against Daesh in Nineveh's Mosul, after receiving military training for 45 says in Dahuk. (MENA)
Source: MENA