The Iraqi army tried to advance from the direction of Samarra on Saturday but encountered heavy resistance Iraqi government forces trying to retake the city of Tikrit from Sunni insurgents have pulled back to a nearby town amid fierce clashes, reports say.
Government troops launched an assault on the city on Saturday with tanks, armoured vehicles and air support.
Eyewitnesses say both sides suffered heavy losses and that the army had to pull back to Dijla, 25km to the south.
The city of Tikrit was captured by Sunni rebels on 11 June as they swept across large parts of northern Iraq.
Heavy fighting took place on Saturday between the Iraqi security forces and armed men from different factions controlling Tikrit, eyewitnesses and journalists told the BBC.
The security forces launched a major attack using tanks and armoured military vehicles supported by air cover and there were many casualties from both sides, the sources said.
Insurgents, led by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (isis), were reported to have shot down a helicopter and captured the pilot.
The witnesses said the Iraqi forces had been hampered in their bid to retake the city by the large number of improvised explosive devices laid on the approaches to the city.
On Sunday the city was said to be quiet, but witnesses have reported shelling by the security forces.
Earlier the Iraqi government claimed to have recaptured the city and to have killed 60 militants.
Meanwhile, Iraq said it had received the first batch of fighter jets ordered from Russia in order to help fight the militants.
The defence ministry said five Sukhoi Su-25 attack aircraft would enter service in "three to four days".
Are you in the area? What is your reaction to the current situation? Email your views to haveyoursay@bbc.o.ukwith the word 'Iraq' in the subject heading.
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