In The Battle For Tikrit 400 Islamic State Fighters Are Holding Back 30,000 Iraqi Troops And Militia Fighters

Ken Hanly , Digital Journal: In Tikrit 400 IS fighters hold back 30,000 Iraqi troops

Tikrit - A force of Islamic State fighters believed to number about 400 according to one general, is holding at bay about 30,000 Iraqi troops and militia.

After the offensive launched without US air support and led by an Iranian general stalled on the outskirts of Tikrit, the Shia militia and the Iranian commander who was heading the offensive have faded into the background. However many militia remain in the surrounding area and even a few checkpoints on the outskirts of Tikrit. For the last three days, the US has been bombing the centre of Tikrit where the Islamic State fighters so far have been able to fend off the Iraqis even though outnumbered by over seventy to one. This standoff does not auger well for any attempt to recapture the larger city of Mosul. The campaign to recapture Tikrit has been going on for almost a month now.

Update: As Iraqi Forces Press Into Tikrit, Hundreds Of ISIS FIghters Remain (NPR)

WNU Editor: No one rally knows for sure how many ISIS fighters are in Tikrit, but what is known is that they have inflicted heavy casualties, and they have stalled the Iraqi offensive to seize the city.