Tikrit is a city located in Iraq on the Tigris River. It is situated approximately 140 kilometers northwest of Baghdad and 220 kilometers southeast of Mosul. The city serves as the administrative center of the Saladin Governorate.
As of 2012, Tikrit had a population of roughly 160,000 residents. It is widely regarded as the cultural capital of Iraqi Sunni Arabs, and control of the city holds significant symbolic weight due to its historical prestige.