Iraqi Security Forces Rolling in Tikrit; New Offensive Launched Near Al-Ramadi

The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) – in cooperation with local militias – took advantage of ISIS weak defenses at the Al-‘Alam District by assaulting the latter’s positions at the villages of Siha and Mazra’at Al-Raheem.

Following their attack on the two villages, the ISF and their allies declared Siha and Mazra’at Al-Raheem under full government control, killing 12 ISIS militants in the process.

With the success in the imperative city of Tikrit flooding the news from the frontlines, the Iraqi Minister of Defense revealed that 97 areas have been officially liberated from ISIS’ control in the Salaheddeen Governorate.

To coincide with their offensive at Tikrit, the ISF has launched a new offensive just south of Al-Ramadi at the city of Al-Houz.

The offensive at Al-Houz is already under way, with the ISF and the Badr Brigades (Liwaa Al-Badr) advancing past ISIS’ frontline defenses inside the city on Wednesday.

As the ISF continues to press ISIS around the country, the latter is on the verge of being cutoff completely from eastern Iraq; this is due in large part to the ISF’s successful campaigns in the Diyala and Salaheddeen provinces.