Iraqi PM declares victory, but Tikrit still a battle

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared victory Wednesday in Tikrit, though booby traps and some Islamic State militants still remain.

The strategic city of 260,000, located 86 miles from the Iraqi capital of Baghdad and on the road between Baghdad and Mosul, has been the site of fighting since March. 2 between IS forces, a coalition of Iraqi troops, police, Iranian Shiite militia groups and Sunni tribal members.

Iraqi troops, religious leaders and governmental officials gathered in the city center Wednesday after much of the intense fighting was over. Troops could be seen raising their arms and shooting their guns in the air in celebration.

Rafa Abdullah, a Tikrit police officer, told NPR he was returning home for the first time since IS — also identified by the acronyms ISIS and ISIL — took control of the city nine months ago.

“We’re happy,” he said. “We’ve been suffering since June and my house was blown up by ISIS.”

Despite the celebration and declarations of victory, trouble still remains in Tikrit. Much of the water and electrical infrastructure has been destroyed and Abdullah estimates it will be at least 10 days before the city is habitable again.

Iraqi troops and Shiite militiamen continue to clear buildings, some of which have been booby trapped with bombs. A large mechanical digger, for example, was loaded with explosives and had to be disarmed by troops, CNN reported. Meanwhile, fighting was still ongoing in some parts of Tikrit on Wednesday.

The victory in Tikrit is a significant one for Iraq, which next sets its sights on taking back Mosul and indeed the rest of the country.

Category: Daily Witness, National