Fierce Fighting Rages in the Streets of Tikrit

Iraqi security forces, Shiite and Sunni militia exchanged fire with Daesh terrorist in Tikrit on Friday, a day after they pushed into Saddam’s home city in their biggest offensive yet against the militants.
According to Iraq local media 1000 member of Popular Mobilization Forces enter Tikrit to mob-up operation.
The head of the parliament’s security and defense committee , Hakim Al-Zamili, emphasized that Tikrit town has been liberated almost 80%, “asking for arming the tribesmen to hold the liberated districts.”
Zamili accompanied the Defense Minister, Khalid Al-Obaidi visited the Salah-il-Din command operation in Tikrit to meet its leaders and also the leaders of the volunteers of popular mobilization.
“The security forces and the volunteers will go to Baiji and other districts to clear them from the terrorists of ISIL,” he told Iraqi news.
Iraqi army and militia fighters advancing in the southern, northern and northwestern parts of the city, which they took in the last 24 hours.
Chief of Police in Kirkuk Brigadier Sarhad Qadir announced Thursday, the liberation of seven villages and the death of a number of ISIS militants southwest of the province.
On Thursday ISIS group militants have cut all the phone communications lines in the district of al-Hawija in southwest of Kirkuk.
A security source in the province of Kirkuk reported Thursday, the start of the liberation operation in Bashir village and the villages of Taza district south of the province.
The head of the military operation said on Thursday that troops would launch phase two of the offensive later in the day as they try to reach the city Centre.
A source told “IraqiNews” that “Two terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant from Saudi Arabia have been killed by the Security Forces in Tikrit town, centre of Saladin.
The militants were trying to repel security forces with snipers, suicide car bombs, heavy machine guns and mortars, he said.
On Thursday, militiamen were heard intercepting Daesh walkie-talkie signals, listening to the militants’ call for reinforcements and ordering mortar fire on the soldiers as they closed in.
Military officials said that they are advancing with caution in an effort to limit damage to the city’s infrastructure, so that residents can return quickly once Tikrit is retaken.
Hadi Al Ameri, the commander of the volunteer Popular Mobilisation units, told reporters on the front lines late Wednesday that there was no way out for the ISIS fighters trapped in Tikrit.