Intensification of the Tikrit Battle; Islamic State Destroys a Strategic Bridge

With the entry of Iraqi army soldiers into the city of Tikrit, the birthplace of Saddam Hussein, the battle with the Islamic State group has intensified in this Sunni-majority city in northern Iraq. On Thursday, March 11, the German news agency reported, citing Iraqi police, that members of the Islamic State group destroyed a strategic bridge on one of the highways north of Tikrit. This bridge is one of the few bridges over the Tigris River, and its destruction has severed the pipeline routes from the Baiji oil refinery, which is considered the largest refinery in Iraq. The Baiji refinery, located about 40 kilometers north of Tikrit, has been the scene of heavy fighting between the Islamic State group and the Iraqi army in recent months, which has halted its operations. Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that on Thursday, the sound of mortar and rocket fire could be heard throughout the city of Tikrit. The recapture of Tikrit is considered a key step in pushing back the Islamic State group, which has taken control of vast areas in northern and western Iraq. Iraqi army soldiers and Shiite militias entered the city from the north and south on Wednesday. An Iraqi commander responsible for the Tikrit recapture operation told the Associated Press that the army would begin the second phase of its attacks on Thursday to enter the city center. The report also states that the Iraqi Defense Minister visited the soldiers involved in this operation on Thursday and met with Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of Iran, who plays a key role in the battle against the Islamic State group. Tikrit, the center of Salah al-Din province, is located alongside the Tigris River and is 190 kilometers from Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. The recapture of this city also paves the way for the Iraqi army towards Mosul, which has been under the control of the Islamic State group for months.