ISIL’s Second Man Killed in Southern Tikrit

The Iraqi army intensified its fight against the Takfiri terrorists in the city of Tikrit, capital of Salahuddin province, on Tuesday, and killed ISIL’s No. 2 man in the region, Abu Obeideh Al-Tunisi.
Al-Tunisi was killed by Iraqi forces in heavy clashes in a Southern district in Tikrit on the third day of the army operations in Salahuddin province.

Meantime, the Iraqi army announced that its troops backed by popular forces killed at least 50 ISIL terrorists in fierce clashes near the city of Beiji in Salahuddin province.

Salahuddin Police Chief Major General Hamd Al-Names said that the Iraqi army and popular forces are continuing their operations to take back control of Tikrit through three fronts.

Earlier today, Iraqi army backed by the popular forces liberated several strategic villages located between Samarra and Tikrit cities after breaking ISIL’s fortified defensive positions.

Speaking to FNA, a military source said that the military operations which started on Monday morning resulted in the liberation of Tal Afzali, Abu Shavareb, Ashayer al-Badri, Akar and Tal al-Fazili villages in the countryside of Tikrit.

Meantime, the Iraqi army freed over 100 people who had been taken as hostage in a residential complex in Southern Tikrit.

Thousands of government troops, Shiite and Sunni popular forces have started a major offensive in the Iraqi city of Samarra to oust the ISIL terrorists from the strategic province of Salahuddin, which includes the ancient city of Tikrit.

They used heavy artillery, mortars, tanks and short-range missiles during intensified clashes over the town of Dour which is still under the control of the ISIL terrorists.

Reports coming out of Tikrit city on Monday indicated that the Iraqi troops had driven out ISIL terrorists from Tikrit.

Iraqi troops backed by popular forces continued marching in Salahuddin province on Monday and opened their path to the strategic city of Qaddesiya.

The Iraqi army entered the Qaddesiya city in the Northern parts of Tikrit to tighten the siege of the ISIL forces in Salahuddin province.

Reports also indicated that the Iraqi troops had driven out ISIL terrorists from the areas of al-Teen and Albu Abid as part of their offensive campaign to recapture Tikrit from the ISIL.