Second Battle of Tikrit: Difference between revisions

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{{Campaignbox Salahuddin province campaign}}
 
The '''Second Battle of Tikrit''' was a battle in which [[Iraqi Security Forces]] recaptured the city of [[Tikrit]] (the provincial capital of the [[Saladin Governorate]]) from the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]] (ISIL). Iraqi forces consisted of the [[Iraqi Army]] and the [[Popular Mobilization Forces (Iraq)|Popular Mobilization Forces]] (the bulk of the ground forces, consisting of Shia militiamen and also some Sunni tribesmen), receiving assistance from Iran's [[Quds Force]] officers on the ground, and air support from the American, British, and French air forces.<ref name=NYTUSairShia>{{cite news|author1=Rod Nordland and Helene Cooper|title=U.S. Airstrikes on ISIS in Tikrit Prompt Boycott by Shiite Fighters |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/27/world/middleeast/iraq-us-air-raids-islamic-state-isis.html|accessdate=27 March 2015|work=The New York Times|date=26 March 2015|quote=the American airstrike campaign against militants holed up in Tikrit}}</ref>
 
The city of [[Tikrit]], located in the central part of the Saladin Governorate in north of [[Baghdad]] and [[Samarra]] and lying adjacent to the [[Tigris River]], was lost to ISIL during the huge strides made by the group during its [[Northern Iraq offensive (June 2014)|offensive in June 2014]]. After its capture, ISIL retaliated with the [[Camp Speicher massacre|massacre at Camp Speicher]], a nearby training facility for the Iraqi Air Force. After months of preparation and intelligence-gathering, Iraqi forces engaged in offensive operations to fully [[encirclement|encircle]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-31727470 |title=BBC News – Iraqi forces seek to encircle IS fighters in Tikrit |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=4 March 2015 |accessdate=14 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Iraqi forces try to seal off Islamic State around Tikrit|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/03/03/uk-mideast-crisis-iraq-idUKKBN0LZ0Z020150303|accessdate=4 March 2015|agency=Reuters|date=3 March 2015}}</ref> and subsequently retake the city, starting on 2 March 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/02/recapturing-tikrit-isis_n_6781470.html |title=Iraq Launches Large-Scale Military Operation To Recapture Tikrit From Islamic State |work=The Huffington Post |date= 2 March 2015|accessdate=14 March 2015}}</ref><ref name="aljazeera1">{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/03/iraq-launches-offensive-tikrit-isil-150301181442703.html |title=Iraq launches offensive to take back Tikrit from ISIS |publisher=Aljazeera.com |date=2 March 2015 |accessdate=14 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/11443997/Iraq-launches-major-offensive-to-recapture-Tikrit.html |title=Iraq launches major offensive to recapture Tikrit |work=Telegraph |date=2 March 2015 |accessdate=14 March 2015 |location=London}}</ref> The offensive was the largest anti-ISIL operation to date, involving some 20,000–30,000 Iraqi forces (outnumbering ISIL fighters more than 2-to-1), with an estimated 13,000 ISIL fighters present.<ref name="NYT Iraqi Offensive" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/the-star-early-edition/20150304/282514361994067/TextView |title=Connecting People Through News |publisher=PressReader |date=4 March 2015 |accessdate=14 March 2015}}</ref> It was reported that 90% of the residents of the city left out of fear both of ISIL and retaliatory attacks by Shia militias once the city is captured. As such, most of the residents fled to nearby cities, such as Baghdad and Samarra, or even further to [[Iraqi Kurdistan]] or [[Lebanon]].<ref name="theguardian.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/05/iraq-pro-government-forces-struggle-topple-isis-tikrit |title=Iraq: pro-government forces struggle to topple Isis in Tikrit |work=The Guardian |date=5 March 2015 |accessdate=14 March 2015}}</ref>