Baghdad, March 10 (IANS): Iraqi forces have captured another district and some oil wells outside Tikrit that were controlled by the Islamic State (IS) terror group, a media report said on Tuesday.

Government troops, backed by the Iraqi air force and Shia volunteer fighters, have entered the district of al-Alam, said to be the last stop before Tikrit, Al Jazeera reported, citing the state-run Iraqiya TV.

Tiqrit is the birthplace of Saddam Hussein.

Iraqiya TV also reported that the government forces and their allied militia have taken control of oil wells in the al-Ojail oil field north-east of Tikrit.

But IS fighters reportedly set fire to some oil wells to confuse government forces and shield themselves from helicopter attacks.

In June 2014, IS took over al-Ojail, which produces an estimated 25,000 barrels per day of crude oil that used to be shipped to the Kirkuk refinery, as well as four million cubic metres of gas per day that used to be piped to the Kirkuk power station.