Shiite militants brandish guns as they celebrate death of ISIS fighter

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Shiite militias celebrated jihadi's death by waving assault rifles in the air
Posed with the ISIS militant's bloodied corpse in the back of a pick-up
Members of the Iraqi Army were seen standing next to the Shiite troops
ISIS fighter's battered body was eventually taken away to be buried
Images emerged as US-led coalition begun surveillance flights over Tikrit
Aircraft will be offering intelligence to Iraqi forces trying to re-take the city
WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT

Published: 08:44 EST, 24 March 2015 | Updated: 13:19 EST, 24 March 2015

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Members of the Iraqi Army and allied Shiite militias have posed for gruesome photographs with the bloodied remains of an Islamic State fighter.

Celebrating with their assault rifles in the air, the black-clad Shiite militants are seen posing with the jihadi's corpse at the frontline of fighting close to the central Iraqi city of Tikrit.

Standing over the battered corpse in the back of a blue pick-up truck, the Iran-backed militias stand alongside members of the Iraqi Army, which launched a large-scale offensive to recapture the city - best known as the home town of late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein - earlier this month.

The gruesome images emerged as the US-led coalition begun surveillance flights over ISIS-held Tikrit - offering intelligence to the Iraqi forces trying to re-take it, according to an official.

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Gruesome: Celebrating with their assault rifles in the air, the black-clad Shiite militants are seen posing with the jihadi's corpse at the frontline of fighting close to the central Iraqi city of Tikrit.

Celebration: Standing over the Islamic State fighter's battered corpse in the back of a blue pick-up truck, the Iran-backed militias stand alongside members of the Iraqi Army

According to media representatives in Tikrit, the Shiite militias chanted slogans as they stood over the ISIS fighters body in the back of the pick-up truck.

The photographs emerged as it was revealed the US-led coalition would begin offering air support to the Iraqi Army and their allied Iran-supported Shiite militias at the request of Iraq's government.

The unnamed official refused to say whether the air support extended to airstrikes and bombing raids on Islamic State targets in central Iraq.

The U.S. has previously said the Iraqi government did not ask them to participate in the campaign.

This morning the foreign ministers of Syria and Iraq met in the Syrian capital Damascus to discuss ways to tackle militant groups operating in their countries.

Iraq also called for greater international cooperation to combat the violence, Syrian state TV said.

Removal: Members of the Iraqi security forces take the dead body of an Islamic State fighter for burial after overnight clashes in Tikrit, 80 miles north of the capital Baghdad

Taken away: According to media representatives in Tikrit, the Shiite militias chanted slogans as they stood over the ISIS fighters body in the back of the pick-up truck

Iraq's Shiite-led government in Baghdad, together with Iran and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, have been important allies for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Shiite militias have fought on Assad's side against the insurgency spearheaded by Sunni Islamists.

Iraq's armed forces are also the main partner on the ground for a U.S.-led coalition bombing Islamic State militants in Iraq but Washington and other Western governments have dismissed the idea of cooperating directly with Syria in the same fight.

This morning's high-level discussions 'focused on the fight against terrorism and common dangers that threaten our countries,' Syrian state television said, citing a joint news conference by the foreign ministers at Damascus airport.

It did not specify which groups the discussions were referring to.

Talks: This morning the foreign minister of Syria, Walid al-Moallem (left), and the foreign minister of Iraq, Ibrahim al-Jaafari (right), met in the Syrian capital of Damascus to discuss ways to tackle militant groups

United: This morning's high-level discussions between the foreign ministers of Syria and Iraq 'focused on the fight against terrorism and common dangers that threaten our countries,' Syrian state television said

Iraq has acted as a go-between for information about the U.S.-led strikes on ISIS in both countries.

Iraq's Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari is also due to meet Assad himself, Jaafari's office said today. Jaafari's visit comes ahead of an Arab League meeting in Egypt scheduled for the weekend.

Syria's seat has been left vacant since its membership was suspended in November 2011 after the government's crackdown on protests.

'Terrorism is not just a danger that faces both countries but one that will affect all countries if there is not cooperation,' Jaafari said, according to Syria's state news channel.

His Syrian counterpart Walid al-Moualem said the two countries 'stand in the same trench against terrorism,' state news agency SANA said.

In September Iraq's national security adviser briefed Assad on efforts to counter Islamic State, in the first such meeting since the United States launched air strikes on the group in Iraq.

Territory held by Islamic State in Syria includes most of Deir al-Zor province, which borders Iraq.

Iraq forces battle towards ISIS-occupied Tikrit (related)