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March 27, 2015

U.S. Airstrikes Cause Shiite Militias to Leave Tikrit Fight 
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Iraqi officials say nine of their forces have been accidentally killed
in an airstrike as part of the U.S.-backed effort to retake the city of
Tikrit from the self-proclaimed Islamic State. U.S.-led airstrikes began
Wednesday, prompting thousands of Iranian-backed Shiite militias who
were fighting alongside the Iraqis to boycott the battle and retreat.
U.S. Army General Lloyd Austin, commander of U.S. Central Command,
assured lawmakers, including Senator John Mc Cain, there are no Shiite
militias in Tikrit.

Gen. Lloyd Austin: "The folks that we are supporting in clearing
Tikrit—"

Sen. John Mc Cain: "Are the Shia militias still in the fight?"

Gen. Lloyd Austin: "No, sir, they're not — they're not a part of
the clearing operations in Tikrit."

Sen. John Mc Cain: "So, we are — the airstrikes that we're
carrying out in support are only in support of Iraqi military
activities?"

Gen. Lloyd Austin: "That's correct, sir. Preconditioned for us to
provide support was that the Iraqi government had to be in charge of
this operation. They had to know — we had to know exactly who was
on the ground."

 

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