Iraq 'seizes districts from IS'

Iraqi government forces say they have retaken some districts around Tikrit in their fight to recapture the city from Islamic State (IS).

A force of about 30,000 troops and militia are said to be attacking on different fronts, backed by air strikes from Iraqi jets.

A commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards is taking part in the operation, a Shia militia commander told the BBC.

Tikrit, north of the capital Baghdad, fell to IS militants last June.

Security sources told the BBC that pro-government troops had seized control of the two districts of al-Tin, near Tikrit university north-east of the city, and the district of al-Abeid, in the west.

Earlier, fighting was also reported in al-Dour, south-east of Tikrit, as well as in al-Alam, north of the city, and nearby Qadisiya.

There were few details of the operation but army and medical sources were quoted as saying that five soldiers and 11 militia fighters had been killed.

The Pentagon said that the US was not providing any air power in support of the operation.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared the start of the operation late on Sunday, as tens of thousands of troops and militia massed in the central town of Samarra.

Tikrit, in Salahuddin province, lies on the road to Mosul - Iraq's second city which was also seized by IS last year.

Correspondents say the current operation is crucial to any Iraqi plans to retake Mosul.

Iraqi forces are being helped by Iran's Gen Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force, Iranian and Iraqi media reported.

Since the IS advance across Iraq last summer, Gen Soleimani has personally overseen the defence of Baghdad and helped to organise pro-Iranian Shia militia.

He has been pictured visiting the front lines north of the capital on several occasions.