The Iraqi military decided to follow the momentum of recapturing the Mosul Dam by launching an operation to retake the town of Tikrit from the Islamic State.

Tikrit fell on June 11 to the Islamic State and has served as a stronghold for them, the area becoming heavily protected.

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Al Jazeera reports that Iraqi forces were halted about six miles from Tikrit, the capital of the Salaheddin province with over 250,000 people, and heavy fighting ensued.

Iraqi forces advanced from the South but were slowed by Islamic State snipers, landmines, and roadside bombs, Iraqi military officials told Reuters.

Spokesman of the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi armed forces Qassim Atta said that 40 roadside bombs have been defused so far, Al Jazeera reports.

 "The war needs time, but we are determined to annihilate the Islamic State and to liberate all the areas they occupy even if we suffer heavy casualties, because we have no other choice," Lieutenant General Qassim al-Moussawi said in a statement.

On Tuesday the United Nations announced a large-scale humanitarian effort to aid the nearly half a million displaced Iraqis escaping from the Islamic State, Al Jazeera reports.

The UN will send airlifts, convoys, and also sea shipments via Iran on Wednesday from Turkey, Jordan, and Dubai to the Iraqi town of Erbil over the next 10 days, UN Refugee Agency spokesman Adrian Edwards said.

"This is a humanitarian crisis and disaster," he said. "It continues to affect many people."

The initial supplies will include 3,000 tents, 200,000 plastic sheets, kitchen sets, and jerry cans, according to Deutsche Welle.

President Barack Obama has not yet announced major US military aid in retaking Tikrit; however, U.S. drone strikes were a major factor in retaking the Mosul Dam.

Iraq's Prime Minister-designate haider al-Abadi issued a statement calling the Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting the Islamic State heroes for confronting the terrorists.

TagsIraq, Kurdish fighters, ISIS, Mosul Dam, Tikrit