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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. it's 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: they're a mile or a little under two kilometers from the city center. despite having a large number of fighters roughly 30,000 has been a...

>> 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 they're 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. 30,000 fighters going after 3,000 people defending. of course the defense always has advantage becaus...

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 won't disappear. there are already reports that some of these shia militias are taken revenge out on sunnies in tikrit and other places out there. that's the really big concern is that the sectarian violence will just continue, maybe it won't be part of the isis iraqi battle sunnies vs. shia. iraqi iraq will still be destabilized going forward. >> as we watch the retaking of tikrit. the key question how close are iran and iraqi getting what about t...

When a government changes. it's a very interesting and pointed respond. one that came very quickly. it's 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 wouldn't 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 forces take back tikrit from isis. what do you think that will to to sectarian tension in the region?...

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. let's bring in general mark hurtley. and mr. michael weiss, the co-arthur of isis inside the army of terror. this is we're 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 from a shia holy city to their south. they're heading toward mosul on the supply lines. tikrit is...