Battlefield and Battlemap Report: ISIS Torches Oil Field East of Tikrit as Iraqi Army Pushes Mosul Offensive Forward

Last edited Thu Mar 5, 2015, 11:19 AM - Edit history (6)

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/isis-torches-oil-field-east-tikrit-iraqi-army-pushes-mosul-offensive-forward?

March 5, 2015

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants have set fire to Iraqi oil wells in the Ajil field east of the city of Tikrit to try to hinder aerial attacks aimed at driving them from the oilfield, a witness and military source said.

Black smoke could be seen rising from oil field since Wednesday afternoon, said the witness, who accompanied Iraqi fighters and soldiers as they advanced on Tikrit from the east.

Before ISIS took over the field in June, it produced 25,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude that were shipped to the Kirkuk refinery, as well as 150 million cubic feet of gas per day piped to the government-controlled Kirkuk power station.

Ajil lies about 35 km (20 miles) northeast of Tikrit. Shi'ite militia fighters from the Iran-backed Badr Organisation and Iraqi soldiers are advancing through the area as part of a coordinated assault on the Islamic State-held Sunni Muslim city.

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March 2, 2015 positions around Tikrit





Soldiers and militia are also advancing along the Tigris river from the north and south of the city, preparing for a joint offensive which is expected in coming days. They are likely to attack first the towns of al-Dour and al-Alam to the south and north of Tikrit.

Their approach has been slowed by roadside bombs, snipers and suicide bomb attacks.

A police source in Salahuddin province, where Tikrit is located, said an eight-vehicle convoy of Islamic State insurgents attacked Iraqi forces at dawn on Thursday in al-Muaibidi area east of Alam.
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Iraqi Army Rocket Launchers Near Eastern approaches to Tikrit

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/asia-pacific/islamic-state-torches-oil-field-east-of-tikrit-1.2127389



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OPINION:

This IS the beginning of the campaign to take Mosul, Tikrit has to be taken first....so what about those horrible, horrible "leaks from Obama". Gave the whole plan away, he did....well, maybe he did not, but it sucked some oxygen out of the media room as planned, so....no apologies.

The war and fear mongering American media is again actively lying and concealing facts not helpful to Perpetual American War.

The Arabs and Persians, Iraq and Iran have ISIS on the run...and when they do run American planes kill them.

To do it this way is only logical, no one but ISIS and Republicans want "American Snipers" ever again. Never.

Long range killers are easily obtained without America's help...ISIS is mainly an enemy of Islam after all.

But, hey, what about those perfectly legal email servers of an undeclared Presidential candidate with an election 18 months away? What about Republican polling...what is it today? I can hardly wait for more news about that.....

When ISIS is gaining there are countless stories of Doom and Gloom, but when they are on the run and defeated......like a Cone of Silence?

Remember the liberation of the city of Kobani from ISIS?

How vital it was to get it back was covered.....and when it was captured.....crickets.

American War Media, please, please tell me what is important to me and what to think. How can any American be permitted to do any thinking for themselves? What kind of country would that be that valued peace over war? That praised non-American military might and heroism - because that would not be a potential movie script or bring any glory to a "war correspondent".

McNews and McCain McThinking is also being served - billions and billions served up with McMedia Pink Slime.