article_snippet: Fierce fighting between Islamic State militants and soldiers from the Iraqi Army has forced 28,000 residents of the Iraqi city of Tikrit to flee 28,000 residents of the Iraqi city of Tikrit homes in recent days.
article_snippet: Citizens of the strategically important city, which lies midway between regime-capital Baghdad and the ISIS stronghold of Mosul, are making desperate efforts to escape the fighting, the UN says.
article_snippet: Most residents of Tikrit fled in the months after the extremist group took over in June.
article_snippet: Those who stayed have fled in recent days, but a tiny fraction are still there, awaiting Those who stayed fate. '
article_snippet: Fleeing residents admitted many of Fleeing residents had initially welcomed the militants as saviours from the oppression
article_snippet: Fleeing residents felt under the Shi'ite-led government that came to power after Tikrit-born strongman Saddam Hussein was overthrown in 2003.
article_snippet: Fleeing residents came to resent Fleeing residents presence after the extremist group began executing people it considered a threat, failed to provide public services, banned smoking and forced women to cover women.
highlights_snippet: Thousands of Sunni residents of Tikrit have fled the ISIS-held city in fear of Iraqi regime forces and Shia militias .
  