"Daesh [ISIS] fails to defend successfully in almost every case in Iraq: determined attacks dislodge Daesh defenses, often within hours or days," Michael Knights, the Lafer fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, explains. "Daesh numbers are too small, even in small urban pockets of Tikrit, to fully exclude attackers. They can't maintain firm front lines."
- Next battle: Baiji -
In Tikrit, Iraqi forces still face "pockets" of resistance from the IS group and "they are working there through those pockets," the official said.
Once the Tikrit military operation is complete, "the next step is Baiji," the official said.
The town of Baiji lies north of Tikrit along the Tigris River and remains under the IS group's control.
"That's really the next significant military maneuver because, of course, the Baiji oil refinery is important to the Iraqi economy," the official said.
The nearby Baiji refinery was recaptured by Iraqi forces last year but Baghdad still needs to dislodge the IS extremists from the town and surrounding areas, the official said.
An offensive in Baiji is a necessary step towards an eventual large-scale operation to seize back Mosul, the country's second largest city and a bastion for the IS group.
But an offensive to recapture Mosul is several months away and likely will not come before the autumn, the official said.
No operation in Mosul was expected to be carried out during Ramadan, which falls in mid-June, or during the summer months when intense heat would hamper any major military action, the official said.
A potential offensive is likely "to extend into the fall for reasons of Ramadan preparation and weather," he said.
A US defense official had predicted in February that an Iraqi assault in Mosul could come as soon as April or May but top Pentagon officials later backed away from that forecast.
(Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi called on security forces on Friday to arrest anyone breaking the law in the city of Tikrit, where looting has been seen following the ousting of Islamic State militants.
"The prime minister calls on the forces in Tikrit to arrest any person who performs such acts and to preserve the belongings and facilities in Salahuddin province," the prime minister's office said in a statement.
The Iraqi government claimed victory over Islamic State insurgents in Tikrit on Wednesday after a month-long battle for the Sunni Muslim city fought by the Iraqi army and federal police, with the support of Shi'ite militiamen.
Abadi said enforcement of the law was essential in order to "bring life back to the province as well as returning families" to the city, the capital of Salahuddin province, which was seized by Islamic State extremists last June.
Sunni lawmakers have complained of looting of homes and government buildings in Tikrit by rogue security force elements and members of the Shi'ite paramilitary groups.
Rafid Jaboori, a spokesman for the prime minister, would not comment on specific incidents, but said Abadi had a policy of zero tolerance for any rights abuses.
The ability to protect Sunni areas from revenge attacks and criminal actions is a central challenge for Abadi as he seeks to lead Shi'ite paramilitary volunteers and security forces in the campaign to retake nearly one-third of Iraq from Islamic State.
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