Iraqi Troops Carry Out Offensive Against Islamic State Stronghold

In its largest effort against the Islamic State, Iraqi troops carried out an offensive operation this week on the terrorist group's stronghold of Tikrit.

Tikrit, located 86 miles outside of Baghdad, serves as a major stronghold of the Islamic State, seized by the terrorist group last year when they declared a caliphate in Iraq.

Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced that he would be sending 30,000 Iraqi troops to Tikrit in an effort to regain control of the city. The prime minister said in a statement over the weekend that the attack is being carried out using mainly aircraft, with participants from several branches of Iraqi law enforcement participating in the attack.

"The attack is being carried out using fighter jets, helicopters and artillery targeting Tikrit to secure the advance and cut supply routes," he said.

Al-Abadi also spoke on Tikrit's outskirts over the weekend, saying that the "zero hour" for freeing Tikrit from the terrorists' hold was approaching.

According to the New York Times, the prime minister also promised amnesty to those local residents who were forced to join the Islamic State during the occupation, saying this was the "last chance for them" to leave the terrorist group before the attack happened.

"Our goal is to liberate people from these terrorist groups," the prime minister said while speaking from the city of Samarra, adding that Iraqi troops will take the "utmost care in protecting civilian lives and property." 

Iraqi officials have also suggested that the taking back of the city of Tikrit would be a step toward reclaiming one of the country's major cities of Mosul, which is also controlled by the Islamic State.