Iraqi Forces Take Military Hospital From ISIS.

Joint Iraqi forces now have control of Tikrit Military Hospital as they continue their offensive to liberate the city from ISIS.

The joint forces raised the Iraqi flag from the hospital premises Wednesday as they continued their offensive into the city from four sides, the Hashd Al-Shaabi paramilitary force said.

The predominantly Shia militia has been working with Iraqi troops as well as Sunni fighters to try to regain Tikrit from ISIS.

The hospital is a few blocks south of the presidential palace.

Tikrit, best known to Westerners as the birthplace of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, fell in June to ISIS, which has captured large areas of Iraq and Syria for what it says is its Islamic caliphate.

On March 1, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered Iraqi forces to retake Tikrit and Salahuddin province.

ISIS wasn't making it easy, however. The Sunni extremist group blew up a key bridge near Tikrit, preventing the joint Iraqi forces from using it to cross the Tigris River to approach the city from the east.

Nevertheless, forces have made progress, forcing ISIS fighters to retreat toward the city center from frontline positions, Hashd Al-Shaabi's media office said.

There have been several failed attempts to recapture Tikrit since the second half of 2014. If Iraq regains control of the city, it could mean that retaking Mosul -- a city 10 times bigger -- is possible.

The Tikrit offensive involves around 30,000 fighters. 

Source:CNN