Iraqi government begins offensive to retake Tikrit

BAGHDAD -- The Iraqi government launched its biggest push yet to wrest back ground lost to Sunni militants as soldiers backed by tanks and helicopter gunships began an offensive yesterday to retake the northern city of Tikrit.

There were conflicting reports as to how far the military advanced in its initial thrust toward the hometown of former dictator Saddam Hussein.

What was clear, however, was the government's desire to portray the campaign as a significant step forward after two weeks of demoralizing defeats at the hands of insurgents led by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

If successful, the Tikrit operation could help restore a degree of faith in the security forces as well as embattled Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is fighting to keep his job.

Yesterday's fighting began before dawn with helicopter gunships carrying out airstrikes on insurgents who were attacking troops at a university campus on Tikrit's northern outskirts, Iraqi military spokesman Lt. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi said. The government forces had established a bridgehead on the university's sprawling grounds after being airlifted in the previous day.

Sporadic clashes continued throughout the day at the university. At the same time, several columns of troops pushed north toward Tikrit from Samarra, a city along the banks of the Tigris River and home to an important Shia shrine, a senior security official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

By sundown, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Abu Ragheef, a commander in the Salahuddin Operational Command, said a column of troops had reached the edge of Tikrit, while another had secured an air base that previously served as a U.S. military facility known as Camp Speicher.

The governor of Salahuddin province, Ahmed Abdullah al-Jabouri, said troops pushed into Tikrit itself, reaching as far as the provincial council building.

However, residents reached by telephone last night said militants were still in control and patrolling the city's streets.

Farther north, the military carried out three airstrikes on the insurgent-held city of Mosul.

South of Baghdad, heavy clashes between security forces and insurgents in Jurf al-Sakhar killed at least 21 troops and dozens of militants, police and hospital officials said.