WASHINGTON — Iraq's Shiite militias have withdrawn from the forefront of an offensive to recapture Tikrit from Islamic State (IS) jihadists, allowing Baghdad government troops to take the lead, a top US general said Thursday.
The Shiite militias "have pulled back from that area" and Iraqi special forces and federal police are "clearing" Tikrit, Gen. Lloyd Austin, head of US Central Command, told lawmakers.
"As of this morning, when I checked with my commanders, the Shia militias ... have pulled back," Austin said. He acknowledged that such forces may be outside the city, on the east side of the Tigris River.
Austin confirmed previous comments by officials that a US condition for air strikes against the IS group in Tikrit was that the Iraqi government be "in charge" of all forces in the assault on the town.
"Currently there are no Shia militia, and as reported by the Iraqis, no [popular mobilization forces] in that area as well," Austin said.
Overnight, coalition fighter, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 17 airstrikes against Islamic State forces.
The four-star general said the offensive to take back Tikrit, launched on March 2, had been flawed because some of the forces in the operation were "not supervised" by the Iraqi government.
Washington says Iranian military officers have provided advice and artillery to Shiite militias involved in the operation. And the White House has been dismayed by Tehran's prominent role in the assault, which was launched more than three weeks ago amid triumphant statements from Baghdad.
But as the offensive bogged down in recent days, President Barack Obama's administration seized an opportunity to exert US influence when Baghdad issued a request for American air power.
In an exchange with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, Austin said about 4,000 Iraqi army and federal police forces were leading "clearing operations" in Tikrit, the hometown of executed dictator Saddam Hussein.
Asked about pictures of Iranian Quds Force commander Gen. Qasem Soleimani, who was again in Iraq, directing Shia militias in their fight against IS militants, Austin said, "Those pictures were from before, and the efforts that Soleimani and the Iranians had been sponsoring, it stalled … He was no longer on the ground."
"According to my last update, Qasem Soleimani was not in Tikrit or in that area," Austin told Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., before acknowledging that Soleimani retained the freedom to maneuver in Iraq.
Soleimani had reportedly been taking a leading role in managing the fighting between Iraqi forces and their Shia militia allies as they attempt to wrest control of the Sunni-dominated city of Tikrit from Islamic State militants and their Sunni allies.
Agence France-Presse contributed to this report from Kirkuk, Iraq.
Email: jgould@defensenews.com
Twitter: @reporterjoe
Joe Gould was the senior Pentagon reporter for Defense News, covering the intersection of national security policy, politics and the defense industry. He had previously served as Congress reporter.
