Iraqi Army advances on multiple fronts; ISIS on the verge of defeat in Tikrit

The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) – in cooperation with Hashid Al-Sha’abi – have captured the Tikrit Police Station after engaging a large contingent of Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) militants inside; this leaves only a small number of the public service buildings under ISIS control.

As of Wednesday evening, the ISF and Hashid Al-Sha’abi are now besieging Saddam Hussein’s Presidential Palace from two flanks. If ISIS loses the Presidential Palace; they will not be able to weather the ISF’s flurry of attacks, as the Presidential Palace is their last stronghold in the city.

Meanwhile, on the Karma front, the ISF was able to continue their advance in this Jihadist stronghold, killing a number of ISIS militants, while also destroying as many as 3 enemy vehicles mounted with doshkas and 23mm machine guns.

Once the battle for Tikrit concludes, the ISF will have to shift their attention to this front in the Al-‘Anbar Governorate, as ISIS relies immensely on their supply route that flows through the city and into neighboring villages to the west.

At Al-Ramadi, ISIS has launched an offensive to capture this imperative city in the heart of the Al-‘Anbar Governorate; however, their initial attack yesterday was relatively ineffective, as the ISF entrenched in the city were able withstand the barrage of rockets and mortar shells to repel the attack.