www射-国产免费一级-欧美福利-亚洲成人福利-成人一区在线观看-亚州成人

US EUROPE AFRICA ASIA 中文
World / Middle East

Iraqi forces battle Islamic State for Tikrit on two fronts

(Agencies) Updated: 2015-03-13 11:19
Iraqi forces battle Islamic State for Tikrit on two fronts

A general view of the city of Tikrit as smoke rises during clashes between the Islamic State militants and Shi'ite forces March 12, 2015. Iraqi security forces and mainly Shi'ite militia exchanged fire sporadically with Islamic State fighters in Tikrit on Thursday, day after they pushed into Saddam Hussein's home city in their biggest offensive yet against the militants. [Photo/Agencies]


On Thursday, militiamen were heard intercepting IS walkie-talkie signals, listening to the militants' call for reinforcements and ordering mortar fire on the soldiers as they closed in. Along the route between Salahuddin's command center and the battlefield, charred remains of tankers and cars used by suicide bombers litter the roads, and homes bear signs of months of war, damaged by bombs and bullets.

Military officials told the AP they are advancing with caution in an effort to limit damage to the city's infrastructure, so that residents can return quickly once Tikrit is retaken. A satellite image of Tikrit, released last month by the United Nations, showed that at least 536 buildings in Tikrit have been affected by fighting, with at least 137 completely destroyed and 241 severely damaged.

Earlier Thursday, al-Obeidi visited troops and met with senior military commanders of the Tikrit operation as well as Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force, an elite unit of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard. Soleimani and other Iranian advisers have played a key role in Iraq in pushing the Islamic State back in recent months.

The overt Iranian role and the prominence of Shiite militias in the campaign have raised fears of possible sectarian cleansing should Tikrit, an overwhelmingly Sunni city, fall to the government troops.

The United States, which spent billions of dollars training and equipping Iraq's army during its eight-year intervention, has said its allied coalition carrying out airstrikes targeting the extremists has not been involved in the ongoing Tikrit offensive.

In November, President Barack Obama authorized the deployment of up to 1,500 more American troops to bolster Iraqi forces, which could more than double the total number of US forces to 3,100. None has a combat role.

Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has appealed for more aid for his country's beleaguered ground forces, although the US spent billions of dollars training and equipping Iraq's army during its eight-year occupation.

The growing Iraqi impatience in many ways stems from concerns about the speed and success of the Islamic State's advance, and the Baghdad government's inexperience in handling a security crisis of this magnitude. Until recently, Iraqi security forces were focused on protecting themselves and the population against insurgent bombings and other attacks.

Previous Page 1 2 Next Page

Trudeau visits Sina Weibo
May gets little gasp as EU extends deadline for sufficient progress in Brexit talks
Ethiopian FM urges strengthened Ethiopia-China ties
Yemen's ex-president Saleh, relatives killed by Houthis
Most Popular
Hot Topics

...
主站蜘蛛池模板: 欧美一区=区三区 | 国产成人高清亚洲一区久久 | 兔费看全黄三级 | 久久99精品视香蕉蕉 | 男人的天堂在线免费视频 | 国产免费a级片 | 韩国日本一级毛片免费视频 | 免费国产午夜高清在线视频 | 九九热精品在线 | 色婷婷色综合激情国产日韩 | 国产自产在线 | 亚洲碰碰 | 免费人成年短视频在线观看网站 | 中文字幕日本不卡 | 久久www免费人成精品 | 亚洲欧美精品一区 | 精品亚洲综合久久中文字幕 | 九九免费精品视频 | 国产亚洲欧美成人久久片 | 免费国产成人 | 成人国内精品久久久久影院 | 国产喷水女王在线播放 | 免费va国产高清不卡大片 | 一级特黄aa大片欧美 | 久久精品视频99精品视频150 | 欧美成人交tv免费观看 | 狠狠色丁香婷婷综合久久片 | 亚洲国产成a人v在线观看 | 国产成人精品久久二区二区 | 美女与男人对肌免费网站 | 国产精品手机视频一区二区 | 免费精品一区二区三区在线观看 | 亚洲综合天堂网 | 国产精品久久久久久亚洲伦理 | 欧美一区二区三区在观看 | 国产亚洲精品久久久久久久网站 | 狠狠色丁香婷婷综合久久片 | 日韩欧美a级高清毛片 | 久久黄色片 | 亚洲黄色官网 | 久久久久久久久久综合情日本 |