Iraq-IS

Iraq has launched a military operation to recapture former leader Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit from Islamic State (IS). Troops and militia were said to be attacking on different fronts, backed by airstrikes from Iraqi fighter jets. The government says that its forces are advancing into the city but this has not been confirmed. Tikrit lies 150 km north of the capital Baghdad and was seized by IS militants in June 2014. 4,500 militiamen are reported to be participating 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 for attacks carried out by the group. 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.