Iraqi insurgents seize Saddam Hussein's hometown as regional takeover grows rapidly

Sunni rebels from an Al Qaeda splinter group overran the Iraqi of Tikrit and closed in on the biggest oil refinery in the country.

13:07 12 June 2014

Sunni rebels made further gains in their rapid military advance against the Shi’ite-led government in Baghdad after they overran the city of Tikrit on Wednesday and closed in on the biggest oil refinery in the country. 

 

The threat to the Baiji refinery came after the militants seized the northern city of Mosul, which was a big blow to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s attempts to defeat the militants. 

 

About 500,000 Iraqis have fled Mosul, home to 2 million people, and the surrounding province, many seeking safety in the autonomous Kurdistan region.

 

A police captain who fled from Tikrit to Samarra, said: "Our forces were caught by surprise...  we mistook them for government forces and it was too late to stop them.” 

 

"We are fighting devils and not ordinary people".

 

Meanwhile, in Sadr city, men were stockpiling weapons to defend themselves. One resident said: "The army has proven to be a big failure. People have begun to depend on themselves because [insurgents] ISIL may enter Baghdad any minute.”