Religious tensions still a concern as Iraqis close in on Tikrit
AL DOUR, Iraq - Iraqi defense officials predict victory over ISIS in Tikrit is just three to four days away. On Thursday, the Iraqi military pushed further toward the city, capitalizing on recent momentum.
On Monday, just five miles south of Tikrit, Iraqi forces defeated ISIS in Al Dour. The town is battle-scarred and deserted by its residents, but ISIS is gone, and its black flags are defaced.
It took Iraqi forces more than three days of intense street-to-street fighting to recapture this small town. Tikrit is a city of a 250,000 people -- and a much bigger challenge. But the Iraqi fighters are in a triumphant mood and Maj. Gen. Bahaa al-Azawi told CBS News victory in Tikrit is near.
"We got the ability, we got the capability to defeat terrorism, and push them away from Iraq," said al-Azawi.
In reality, though, Iraq's army is weak and disorganized. Most of the fighters in the Tikrit offensive are Shiite Muslim militiamen. They have close ties to Iran, which has fueled fears in the U.S. of rising Iranian influence in Iraq -- especially since an Iranian general was spotted apparently commanding the offensive.
The Shiite militias are also accused of massacring more than 70 unarmed Sunni Muslim men after defeating ISIS in Diyala province in January. It's opened a new wound in Iraq's bloody religious tensions.
The Shiite militiamen are adamant it won't happen again. To prove their point, they took us to meet a Sunni Muslim commander who's fighting with them against ISIS.
"We're all one, we're all Iraqis," Qusay al-Zabib told us. "If I had any fear of a massacre, I wouldn't be here."
The Badr Brigades -- the group I traveled with -- has a frightening reputation. They're implicated in the torture and murder of thousands of Sunni Muslims. But with us they were anxious to portray themselves as heroes, saving Iraq from ISIS. And they told us they're willing to work with anyone - Sunnis, Iranians and also Americans - to defeat the extremists.
