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| Iraq moves against Islamic State in Tikrit | Iraq moves against Islamic State in Tikrit |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Iraq has launched a military operation to recapture Tikrit, the hometown of former leader Saddam Hussein, from Islamic State (IS) and its allies. | Iraq has launched a military operation to recapture Tikrit, the hometown of former leader Saddam Hussein, from Islamic State (IS) and its allies. |
| Troops and militia were said to be attacking on different fronts, backed by air strikes from Iraqi fighter jets. | Troops and militia were said to be attacking on different fronts, backed by air strikes from Iraqi fighter jets. |
| The government says that its forces are advancing into the city but this has not been confirmed. | The government says that its forces are advancing into the city but this has not been confirmed. |
| A Shia militia commander has told the BBC that Iran's Gen Qasem Soleimani is also taking part in the operation. | A Shia militia commander has told the BBC that Iran's Gen Qasem Soleimani is also taking part in the operation. |
| 'Last chance' | 'Last chance' |
| Gen Soleimani is the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' overseas operation arm, the Quds Force. | Gen Soleimani is the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' overseas operation arm, the Quds Force. |
| He emerged from decades in the shadows after the IS advance in Iraq last summer, personally overseeing the defence of the capital Baghdad and mobilising pro-Iranian Shia militia - by organising them as well as funnelling money and weapons to them. | He emerged from decades in the shadows after the IS advance in Iraq last summer, personally overseeing the defence of the capital Baghdad and mobilising pro-Iranian Shia militia - by organising them as well as funnelling money and weapons to them. |
| Tikrit lies 150km (95 miles) north of the capital Baghdad. It was seized in June 2014 by IS militants backed by anti-government Sunni allies loyal to Saddam Hussein's banned Baath party. | Tikrit lies 150km (95 miles) north of the capital Baghdad. It was seized in June 2014 by IS militants backed by anti-government Sunni allies loyal to Saddam Hussein's banned Baath party. |
| A commander of a Shia militia unit involved in the offensive told BBC Persian that IS announced it had taken a number of youths hostage and threatened to kill them if government forces entered the city. | A commander of a Shia militia unit involved in the offensive told BBC Persian that IS announced it had taken a number of youths hostage and threatened to kill them if government forces entered the city. |
| He added that the Iranians had been involved in the Tikrit operation for the past two days. | He added that the Iranians had been involved in the Tikrit operation for the past two days. |
| Major offensive | Major offensive |
| Gen Soleimani has been pictured visiting the front lines north of the capital on several occasions. | Gen Soleimani has been pictured visiting the front lines north of the capital on several occasions. |
| Tehran says it has only sent troops to advise Iraqi security forces, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Shia militiamen. | |
| However, members of the Guards and the Quds Force are widely believed to be involved in combat operations, including those that have benefited from US-led coalition air strikes. | However, members of the Guards and the Quds Force are widely believed to be involved in combat operations, including those that have benefited from US-led coalition air strikes. |
| On Monday, Al-Iraqiya TV said that IS militants had been dislodged from some areas of Salahuddin province, outside Tikrit. | On Monday, Al-Iraqiya TV said that IS militants had been dislodged from some areas of Salahuddin province, outside Tikrit. |
| It added that Iraqi troops and fighters from the Popular Mobilisation Forces - an umbrella group of Shia militia fighting IS - were moving into Tikrit as air strikes hit northern militant strongholds. | It added that Iraqi troops and fighters from the Popular Mobilisation Forces - an umbrella group of Shia militia fighting IS - were moving into Tikrit as air strikes hit northern militant strongholds. |
| Government forces say they are 5km away from the heart of the city, the BBC's Ahmed Maher reports in Baghdad, but this has not been confirmed by independent sources. | Government forces say they are 5km away from the heart of the city, the BBC's Ahmed Maher reports in Baghdad, but this has not been confirmed by independent sources. |
| Our correspondent says that 4,500 militiamen are reported to be taking part in the offensive. | Our correspondent says that 4,500 militiamen are reported to be taking part in the offensive. |
| Shia militia have done much of the fighting against IS militants but have also been accused of killing scores of Sunni civilians in apparent revenge attacks. | Shia militia have done much of the fighting against IS militants but have also been accused of killing scores of Sunni civilians in apparent revenge attacks. |
| Analysis: Ahmed Maher, BBC News, Baghdad | Analysis: Ahmed Maher, BBC News, Baghdad |
| The operation involving up to 20,000 government troops is being backed by an alliance of volunteers mainly from the Shia community but also Sunni tribal fighters. | The operation involving up to 20,000 government troops is being backed by an alliance of volunteers mainly from the Shia community but also Sunni tribal fighters. |
| The Popular Mobilisation Force was formed last summer following the collapse of army troops after IS militants swept through the Sunni heartlands in the north and west of Iraq. | The Popular Mobilisation Force was formed last summer following the collapse of army troops after IS militants swept through the Sunni heartlands in the north and west of Iraq. |
| The jihadist movement is backed by Sunni insurgents, who started to take up arms against the Shia-led government in late 2013 after months of protests against what the Sunni community perceived as marginalisation and discrimination. | The jihadist movement is backed by Sunni insurgents, who started to take up arms against the Shia-led government in late 2013 after months of protests against what the Sunni community perceived as marginalisation and discrimination. |
| Several governments have attempted to reclaim Tikrit, the capital city of Salahuddin province, but have failed since July 2014. | Several governments have attempted to reclaim Tikrit, the capital city of Salahuddin province, but have failed since July 2014. |
| The city is also symbolic for being the birthplace of Saddam Hussein. US forces found the former president hiding in southern Tikrit eight months after the US-led invasion in 2003. | The city is also symbolic for being the birthplace of Saddam Hussein. US forces found the former president hiding in southern Tikrit eight months after the US-led invasion in 2003. |
| If the military operation succeeds, the government forces and their allies will face a much bigger challenge to retake the main stronghold of IS in the north, the city of Mosul. | If the military operation succeeds, the government forces and their allies will face a much bigger challenge to retake the main stronghold of IS in the north, the city of Mosul. |
| Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi met military leaders in Salahuddin province ahead of the advance. | Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi met military leaders in Salahuddin province ahead of the advance. |
| He declared the start of the operation late on Sunday, as tens of thousands of troops and militia gathered in the central town of Samarra. | He declared the start of the operation late on Sunday, as tens of thousands of troops and militia gathered in the central town of Samarra. |
| Mr al-Abadi offered to pardon all Sunni tribal fighters "who have been misled or committed a mistake to lay down arms" and abandon IS. | Mr al-Abadi offered to pardon all Sunni tribal fighters "who have been misled or committed a mistake to lay down arms" and abandon IS. |
| He described it as a "last chance", saying that the city of Tikrit would soon be returned to its people. | He described it as a "last chance", saying that the city of Tikrit would soon be returned to its people. |
| IS militants hold several areas of Salahuddin, a predominantly Sunni Muslim province. | IS militants hold several areas of Salahuddin, a predominantly Sunni Muslim province. |
| Tikrit was the second major gain for IS after the group captured the city of Mosul in June last year. | Tikrit was the second major gain for IS after the group captured the city of Mosul in June last year. |
| Mosul was home to more than a million people when it fell to IS after the militants launched an offensive in northern Iraq that saw it seize large swathes of the country. | Mosul was home to more than a million people when it fell to IS after the militants launched an offensive in northern Iraq that saw it seize large swathes of the country. |
| Soldiers and allied Shia militiamen have now begun to recapture territory from IS north of Baghdad, with the help of US-led coalition air strikes. | Soldiers and allied Shia militiamen have now begun to recapture territory from IS north of Baghdad, with the help of US-led coalition air strikes. |
| At the same time, Kurdish Peshmerga forces have been making advances around Mosul. | |
| In February, Mr al-Abadi said that Iraqi armed forces would be launching a major offensive "in a few months' time" to retake the city from IS militants. | In February, Mr al-Abadi said that Iraqi armed forces would be launching a major offensive "in a few months' time" to retake the city from IS militants. |
| Are you in the region? What are your views on this story? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you are available to talk further with a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number. | Are you in the region? What are your views on this story? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you are available to talk further with a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number. |
| Have your say | Have your say |