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Iraqi forces pushing ahead toward liberating Tikrit – YouTube
Iraqi forces are pressing ahead with their massive military operation to liberate the strategic city of Tikrit from ISIS terrorists. Iraqi soldiers and volunteer forces managed to liberate the presidential palaces complex near the city center and seized control of Tikrit General Hospital and the military hospital. Troops also took over the Hayakel and Aldiom and the industrial neighborhood, officials say heavy clashes have taken place around Tikrit police station south of Qadisiyah.
Meanwhile Iraqi air force-backed by heavy artillery and tanks- continues to bomb ISIL hideouts in the center of the city of Tikrit.
This is while ISIL militants continue to use cars full of explosives against Iraqi forces, as it sent several cars towards the line of defense related to the Iraqi forces and volunteers.
Officials say ISIL militants are killing its members who are wounded, because they cannot treat the injured terrorists.
Kurdish fighters fend off major assault by ISIL on town of Syria’s Ras al-Ain
Kurdish fighters have fended off a major assault by ISIL terrorists on the strategic town of Ras al-Ain in northeastern Syria.
The ISIL launched the major offensive on Wednesday to try to capture the town which is located near the Turkish border. Elsewhere, however, the terrorists advanced against Kurdish fighters around the town of Tal Tamr, taking control of several villages there. The terrorists want to seize Ras al-Ain, as well as Tal Tamr, to control key routes that link to their Iraqi bastion of Mosul farther east. The ISIL offensive comes just weeks after Kurdish fighters drove the terrorists out of the Syrian city of Kobani near the Turkish border.
US renews call on President Assad to step down
The United States has renewed its call on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down.
State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki accused Damascus of unrelenting brutality and authoritarianism in dealing with the Syrian people. She praised militants fighting Damascus and said it will not be possible to fully stabilize Syria as long as Assad is in power. Assad, who was re-elected last year, has said only Syrians have the right to determine the future of their country. Meanwhile, UN Chief Ban Ki-moon has called for united international efforts to forge an inclusive, Syrian-led political transition based on the Geneva Communique agreed in 2012. His comments came after a group of 21 international aid agencies blasted the UN Security Council for failing to take action to improve the humanitarian situation in Syria. The Syrian government has been fighting militants and terrorists from various countries for the past four years.