Iraqi army soldiers and Shia militiamen are seeking to encircle Islamic State fighters in Tikrit, on the third day of a major operation to retake the city. State-run al-Iraqiya TV said government forces were "advancing" but progress has been slowed by roadside bombs. Security sources said they had captured villages and oil fields east of the city, and blocked a key IS supply line to neighbouring Diyala province. The offensive is being overseen at least in part by an Iranian general. On Tuesday, the top US general said Iran's role in Tikrit could be positive, as long as it did not fuel sectarian tensions. 'Suffocate then pounce' Some 30,000 soldiers and militiamen from the Popular Mobilisation (Hashid Shaabi) force, backed by Iraqi jets and helicopters, have advanced gradually since the offensive began on Monday. On Wednesday, a source in the Samarra Operations Command told the BBC that government forces had taken control of the village of al-Maibdi, on the road between Tikrit and the Kurdish-controlled city of Kirkuk, as well as the nearby Ajil and Alas oilfields. The road was a key supply route for IS between Salahuddin and Diyala provinces, the source said.
