Iraqi army and militias take control of Saddam's hometown and burn his tomb

Armed militias backed by the Iraqi Army have taken control of the area south of former Iraqi President Saddam Huseein’s birth city Tikrit, in the province of Salahuddin, after fierce battles raged with the Islamic State (ISIS), security sources said yesterday.

In a statement to the Anatolia news agency Falah Al-Neda, son of the Albejat tribal leader Hassan Al-Neda, said the Shia militias and Iraqi army forces took control of the town of Ouja, south of the city of Tikrit. The shrine which housed the tomb of Saddam was burnt, though the remains in question are still inside the mausoleum, which was owned by the government.

Al-Neda said ISIS fighters and Sunni insurgents allied with them attacked the militia and army forces at dawn today in order to regain control of the town and fought fierce battles between the two sides.

A security source told Anadolu that the ISIS militants attacked army troops and armed militias in Ouja, at dawn today.

The source pointed out that the security forces of the Iraqi army and allied militia responded to the attack and the fighting continued. No figures are known for the number of those killed and wounded in the clashes.

ISIS would not comment on the matter due to the limitations it has regarding dealing with the media.