The main operation, which began on Saturday, followed heavy fighting in the city between Iraqi special forces and the ISIL militants.

According to military sources, Iraqi troops have recaptured Tikrit university.

Iraqi warplanes have pounded several ISIL positions inside the city of Tikrit, Iraqi media reported.

The Iraqi army began its clean-up operations from the capital, Baghdad, moving toward the north. It has managed to re-take several areas from the Takfiri terrorists and has killed dozens of them over the past few days.

The Iraqi army has been engaged in heavy fighting with the militants on different fronts.

The Iraqi army had destroyed a convoy of about 20 ISIL vehicles between Samarra and Tikrit, according to the Iraqi State TV.

The Iraqi Defense Ministry released a video on Friday showing that the Iraqi forces cleared an area in Salahuddin province from the ISIL Takfiris following heavy clashes.

A large number of the militants were reportedly killed while many of them fled away.

Earlier in the day, the Iraqi forces made gains near the northern city of Tikrit.

On June 10, Takfiri militants of the ISIL took control of the Nineveh provincial capital Mosul, which was followed by the fall of Tikrit, located 140 kilometers (87 miles) northwest of Baghdad.

The ISIL has vowed to move its acts of terror toward Baghdad.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has said that the country’s security forces would confront the terrorists and foil the 'conspiracy' that has left thousands of people dead.

RA/SHI