Saddam Hussein's home town and power base was the last key town to remain under Iraqi control
BBC correspondents said that the fall of Kirkuk and Mosul opened up more avenues from which to attack the town
As efforts focused on Tikirt, fierce fighting was reported on the town's outskirts, and it came under heavy bombardment by US air strikes
The US military said marines who entered the town met "patchy" there before seizing it on 14 April
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