article_snippet: (CNN)Iraqi forces battling to wrest Tikrit from ISIS are now in control of the city of Mosul, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Tuesday on Iraqiya TV.
article_snippet: Iraqi forces reached the center of Tikrit and hoisted the nation's flag on top of the Governorate Building, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said.
article_snippet: Tikrit had been under ISIS control since June.
article_snippet: The push into Tikrit comes days after a series of U.S.-led airstrikes targeted ISIS targets around the city of Mosul.
article_snippet: The success of the Tikrit experiment will be repeated in other areas because of the results it has achieved on the battlefield, on a humanitarian level, protecting civilians as much as possible, in addition to the low casualties amongst our security forces," Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said.
article_snippet: Iraqi forces have tried multiple times to win back Tikrit since ISIS conquered the city of Mosul as part of the city of Mosul campaign to amass an expansive Islamic caliphate but failed until now.
article_snippet: The latest push began after al-Abadi ordered Iraqi forces on March 1 to retake Tikrit and Salahuddin province.
article_snippet: The victory in Tikrit sets the stage for Iraqi forces to take back an even bigger prize:
highlights_snippet: ISIS still has some fighters in Tikrit; joint forces are in clearing operations .
  
highlights_snippet: Prime Minister says that Tikrit is back under government control .
  