Iraq: helicopter crashes during airborne assault on ISIS militants in Tikrit

For story suggestions please contact [email protected] An Iraqi armed forces helicopter was shot down on Thursday (June 26) as government forces launched a helicopter-borne assault on rebel-held Tikrit. According to Reuters, the helicopters were shot at as they flew low over the city’s university. At least one of the helicopters crashed after taking fire from the insurgents and landed in the university’s stadium. Another left after dropping off troops while a third remained on the ground. Dozens of insurgents belonging to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) clashed with Iraqi government forces. The government forces eventually regained control of the university, Al Arabiya News reported. Tikrit was seized by the insurgents on June 11. Since then, they have gone on seized a large part of northern and western Iraq.