Tikrit, Dec 27, (RHC-Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces on Saturday made some gains on the ground against the Islamic State (IS) militant group, advancing to break the siege of the town of Dhuluiyah in Iraq's northern central province of Salahudin.

The security forces, backed by Shiite militias and aircraft, advanced from several directions toward the town of Dhuluiyah, some 90 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, a security official said.

The troops have seized several towns around the area, as other forces moved toward Dhuluiyah from the north after they cleared the rural areas from IS militants

Dhuluiyah is home to the Sunni tribe of al-Jubour, who have been fighting IS militants for several months. The extremist militants seized the town in mid-June, but were driven away from the southern part of the town, where the tribesmen homes are located. The IS militants are only seizing the northern part of the town and imposing a siege on it.