Major offensive under way to retake Iraq's Tikrit: army

 

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Members of the Iraqi security forces drive towards the al-Dawr area south of Tikrit ahead of an assault against the Islamic State group on February 28, 2015 (AFP Photo/Ahmad al-Rubaye)

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Kirkuk (Iraq) (AFP) - Some 30,000 Iraqi forces backed by jets and helicopters pounded jihadist positions in and around Tikrit on Monday in the biggest offensive yet to retake one of the Islamic State group's main strongholds.

"Security forces are advancing on three main fronts towards Tikrit, Ad-Dawr (to the south) and Al-Alam (to the north)," an army lieutenant colonel on the ground told AFP by telephone.