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                     US Launches Airstrikes on Tikrit, Iraq

   by VOA News

   The U.S.-led coalition has begun launching airstrikes on Islamic State
   targets in the strategically important Iraqi city of Tikrit.

   Iraq asked the U.S. for the air support as it struggles to retake the
   city from the militants.

   Coalition commanding general James Terry  said the strikes are
   "intended to destroy ISIL [Islamic State] strongholds with
   precision......saving innocent Iraqi lives while minimizing collateral
   damage to infrastructure."

   Iraqi forces have been trying to take back the city for several weeks.
   But the Pentagon has said the Iraqi push has been "stalled."

   No details on the airstrikes have been made available.

   Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in a televised speech to the
   Iraqi people late Wednesday that what he calls the last phase of the
   operation to take back Salahuddin province, of which Tikrit is the
   capital, will succeed. He did not specifically say coalition airstrikes
   have started. But he did say Iraq has air support and weapons from
   "friendly countries."

   Earlier Wednesday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the U.S. has
   flown intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance flights over Tikrit
   in response to a specific Iraqi request.

   Iran has trained and armed Shi'ite militias who have been fighting
   alongside Iraqi forces against Islamic State in Tikrit.

   But U.S. officials have been stressing that the U.S. is not
   coordinating any military action with the Iranians.

   Tikrit is the birthplace of the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and
   is a just short two-hour drive from Baghdad.

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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-launches-airstrikes-on-tikrit/2694547.html