Page 2 - Back Tikrit News Today

Iraqi forces to try to take back tikrit. how likely is it that they can retake the city? >> reporter: well, rosemary, its still unclear. it was late last night that this announcement came out from the united states that they have begun air strikes in and around tikrit. and according to the u.s. central command, they did strike about a dozen preplanned targets in and around the city. this could be a complicating factor to the operation that has been ongoing for the past three weeks or so. as you ...

President, but as of wednesday night, he is still in yemen its being reported. >> the rebels seized control of the capital back in january. and in iraq, u.s. military officials say the goal is to help iraqi forces take back tikrit, which has been in isis control since last june. is warning that a self-proclaimed islamic state -- >> he made those remarks on wednesday. he said isis is sending members into afghanistan to test vulnerabilities. during a later web cast, he vowed to defend his country....

But significant gaps remain. iranians want to keep open an enrichment facility and water reactor that makes weapons grade plutonium. both plants are supposed to be redesigned as research facility. in the case of one. all of the pieces still on the table and still in play john. >> there will need be to movement and quickly to reach the deal by the end of march. nic robertson, thank you. new developments in iraq. iran is sending advanced missiles to help drive isis out of tikrit. u.s. agencies h...

He testified that as they were driving, tamerlan tsaranev told him do you know the boston marathon explosion, do you know who did it? i did. i just killed the policeman in cambridge. when the tsaranev brothers realized he escaped they fled in his car. what they didnt know that was car does was equipped with a tracking system. soon police would be hot on their trail. tom llamas, abc news, boston. >> turn to iraq, the battle to take the country back from isis. the prime minister says victory in ti...

Government says in the next few days they believe they can have pushed out all of isis. they havent had any help from the u.s. but they have had some air strikes helicopter attacks from the iraqi army which helped them push out. theyve heard some the isis fighters have fled the area. this is a difficult city to take. the road leading to mosul, one of the cities that they hope to take also later this year. >> its going to be a push to try and get mosul back as well. you mentioned no help from the...

Isis. sunni and shia militias are fighting and iran is offering military advice and weapons. >> it seems to be making a difference. tikrit is known as the birthplace of former iraqi dictator saddam hussein. its been under isis control since june of last year. i want to bring in ian lee joining me live from cairo. so ian, this operation has been going on for about a week now. just how close are the iraqi forces from taking back tikrit in isis? >> reporter: theyre a mile or a little under two ki...

>> some 30,000 fighters are involved in the offensive to take back tikrit, the birth place of former iraqi leader saddam hussein. joining us, our guests. colonel, lets start with you. this offense taking place in tikrit. they are showing advances. we hear theyre taking back this military hospital. do you believe they are really taking on and beating back isis at that point? do you believe it? >> i do. i mean, the numbers are overwhelming. the iraqis have put the required force into the field. 30...

Now, greta, there is a real concern though that if iraqi troops do defeat isis in tikrit. that the sectarian violence fueled the insurgency that it wont disappear. there are already reports that some of these shia militias are taken revenge out on sunnies in tikrit and other places out there. thats the really big concern is that the sectarian violence will just continue, maybe it wont be part of the isis iraqi battle sunnies vs. shia. iraqi iraq will still be destabilized going forward. >> as we...

When a government changes. its a very interesting and pointed respond. one that came very quickly. its not normal for iranian officials to come out with a response this quickly. this pointedly, and to elaborate so much. you can tell that they were -- i wouldnt say angry but surprised at the letter coming forward. zarif also said he does not believe this will have any influence at all on the negotiations. >> to shift gears slightly. as i speak, iranian-backed militia is working to help iraqi forc...

City built 3,000 years ago. they are destroying lives but also destroying the very fabric of civilization. >> what is their goal, thank you very much. lets bring in general mark hurtley. and mr. michael weiss, the co-arthur of isis inside the army of terror. this is were told a very critical point in this campaign to take back tikrit. what has it taken to get to this point? >> well, good morning, first of all, chris. you have about 20,000 iraqi soldiers outside the city of tikrit. they fought up...