Iraqi forces 'hope to take Tikrit from IS in a week'

Iraqi forces hope to retake the city of Tikrit from Islamic State (IS) within a week, a commander has told the BBC.

The head of one of the Shia militia brigades fighting alongside government forces said that IS militants still held about 70% of Tikrit's town centre. But he said Tikrit would be "liberated" even if it required street-to-street fighting.

Soldiers and militiamen have reportedly retaken key sites including a police headquarters and a hospital.

The BBC's Jonathan Beale in Tikrit says the sound of artillery and small arms fire can be heard only a few kilometres from the city centre.

Muain al-Khmdy, a commander of the Iranian-backed Badr Brigade, told the BBC that pro-government forces would surround IS-held areas of the city and then attack, aiming to drive IS fighters from their positions.

Earlier, Iraqi Defence Minister Khaled al-Obedi told the BBC that recapturing Tikrit could be a turning point in the battle against IS.

He described the city as a stepping stone to other IS-held territory, including Mosul - the country's second largest city.

The BBC's Ahmed Maher in Tikrit says Iraqi troops are being held back from the centre by roadside bombs and booby-trapped cars.

Tikrit was the hometown of ousted former leader Saddam Hussein. Anti-government Sunnis loyal to Saddam's Baath party collaborated with the militants when they overran a huge swathe of Iraq, including Tikrit, last June.

...BBCNews