Liberation of Tikrit, a turning point in battle against terrorists

The Iraqi Premier, Haidar al-Abadi, has announced that the majority of districts of the Iraqi city of Tikrit have been liberated from the yoke of the operatives of terrorist outfit, dubbed ‘Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’ (ISIL), and the Iraqi flag has been hoisted over the provincial building. On Tuesday, the Iraqi premier declared that the Iraqi armed forces, with the assistance of Iraqi popular forces and Sunni nomads have liberated the south and west of city of Tikrit from the ISIL occupiers. According to the Iraqi premier, the Iraqi forces are currently gaining further grounds in this Iraqi city.

The third phase of operations for liberation of Tikrit commenced on Monday, while the Iraqi forces, consisting of Iraqi army troops, popular mobilized forces, and Sunni nomads managed a successful clean-up operation against ISIL terrorists throughout the majority of Tikrit’s districts.

It is said that the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s palaces are also currently under the control of Iraqi troops. The operations for liberation of Salaheddin Province of Iraq started as of early March 2015. Upon the start of the third phase of these operations, the noose has been further tightened upon ISIL operatives.

Currently, Iraq is at the forefront of battle against ISIL on behalf of the international community. ISIL terrorist group poses a serious threat against the global community. The indomitable resolve of Iraq in the battle against ISIL is the product of the awareness and prudence of the Iraqi Sources of Emulation, who called upon Iraqi people to participate in the campaign against terror, in tandem with the Iraqi army; thereby marking a milestone in the history of modern Iraq.

The consecutive victories of the Iraqi forces in the battlefield against ISIL is the result of the unity and solidarity of all Iraqi groups and people, from all walks of life, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, and other religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq.

The presence of all Iraqis in the battlefront against ISIL has nipped in the bud the conspiracy aiming to incite a sectarian strife in Iraq, showing that maintenance of the territorial integrity, independence, and national sovereignty of Iraq is a trans-factional issue of importance.

The crucial role played by Iraqis, from all walks of life, in the battle against ISIL terrorists goes to show the peaceful coexistence of the Iraqi ethnic groups, who leave no stone unturned in protection of their country.

The solidarity of Iraqi army, popular forces, and nomads, including Shias and Sunnis, in the fateful battle for liberation of Tikrit from the occupation of ISIL operatives is a landmark development in the Iraqi campaign against terrorism, and grants the annihilation of ISIL terrorist outfit in Iraq.