Posted on 04/01/2015 8:14:56 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
TIKRIT, Iraq (AP) — Iraq declared a "magnificent victory" Wednesday over the Islamic State group in Tikrit, a key step in driving the militants out of their biggest strongholds.
Iraqi Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi made the pronouncement, saying security forces have "accomplished their mission" in the monthlong offensive to rid Saddam Hussein's hometown and the broader Salahuddin province of the militant group.
"We have the pleasure, with all our pride, to announce the good news of a magnificent victory," Obeidi said in a video statement. "Here we come to you, Anbar! Here we come to you, Nineveh, and we say it with full resolution, confidence, and persistence," naming other provinces under the sway of the extremists.
Extremists from the Islamic State group seized Tikrit last summer during its advance across northern and western Iraq. The battle for Tikrit is seen as a key step toward eventually driving the militants out of Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city and the provincial capital of Nineveh.
Iraqi forces, including soldiers, police officers, Shiite militias and Sunni tribes, launched a large-scale operation to recapture Tikrit on March 2. Last week, the United States launched airstrikes on the embattled city at the request of the Iraqi government.
Recapturing Tikrit would be the biggest win so far for Baghdad's Shiite-led government. The city is about 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of Baghdad and lies on the road connecting the capital to Mosul. Retaking it will help Iraqi forces have a major supply link for any future operation against Mosul.
Earlier Wednesday, Iraqi security forces fired on snipers and searched homes for remaining militants. Soldiers fanned out in circles from the charred skeletal remains of the Salahuddin provincial government complex, captured the day before.
(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...
One is never confident of who wins and why because everyone majestically lies.
Paging Baghdad Bob.
Somehow I find no joy in this news.
you might - if you were a native Christian there
good news - this is where the fighting/victories should come from. they aren’t restrained by ‘b ummer’s murderous, traitorous ROE...
and the native Christian population may soon be able to return to their ancestral homes in Mosul - where they have been Christians for 2,000 years -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioUS_xwFfXw
Now, move every ISIS prisoner into the public square and take their heads off after removing any hope for them that they will die a muslim.
I would personally baptize each one first.
Yep, let's see how that works out now between the Iraq Sunni and Iran Shiite.
I would bet the militias are better armed than the tribes!
I wonder how many people realise that Tikrit was a center of Christianity and was majority Christian until the 14th century when Timur-e-Lang, a SUNNI Turco-mongol committed genocide against Christians in Iraq and against Christian Georgians
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