Iraqi minister says Tikrit to be recaptured within 'hours'
BAGHDAD - Iraq's interior minister said Wednesday security forces are battling the last remaining pockets of Islamic State militants in Tikrit and that he expects them to gain full control of the city "within the coming hours."
The minister, Mohammed Salem al-Ghabban, said the objective now is to free Tikrit and restore normalcy as quickly as possible. He said the government will help displaced residents return and that a civil defense unit will be combing the city for roadside bombs and car bombs.
Al-Ghabban spoke from the front-lines in Tikrit on Wednesday, a day after troops reached city center.
