(VOVworld) – The Iraqi army launched a large-scale operation on Wednesday to retake the north of Tikrit city, the capital of Salahudin province, from Islamic State militants. According to commander of the operation Abdul-Wahab al-Saedi, the Iraqi forces and Shiite and Sunni militias backed by the US-led coalition and Iraqi jet fighters, targeted IS at Iraq’s biggest oil refinery near Baiji town, some 200 km north of Baghdad, supply routes from Shirqat and Mosul, and other IS-held cities in the north.