Iraqi militiamen celebrate victory over IS near Tikrit Members of the Iraqi paramilitary Popular Mobilisation units gathered in the village of Albu Ajil, near the city of Tikrit, after they regained control of the area from jihadists of the Islamic State (IS) group. Some 30,000 men have been involved in a week-old operation to recapture Tikrit, one of the jihadists' main hubs since they overran large parts of Iraq nine months ago.