Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Jihadis capture major Syrian air base in northeast
• Iraq pleads for global help in fight against jihadists
• Nigerian town seized by Boko Haram 'part of Islamic caliphate': leader
• U.S. says American held in Syria has been freed
• US says American held in Syria has been freed
• Bishop: Slain US journalist Foley opened our eyes
• Sen. Rand Paul calls Hillary Clinton a 'war hawk'
• Arab ministers in Saudi discuss Syria, IS crises
• US hostage freed after being held in Syria for two years
• American Journalist Peter Theo Curtis Released by Captors in Syria
• US strikes targets in northern Iraq near Arbil, Mosul dam
• Hundreds dead as Islamic State seizes Syrian air base: monitor
• Iraq Yazidis pray for chance to return to homes
• With ISIS Threat, Some in GOP Want Defense Cuts Repealed
• Israel leader tries to link Hamas, Iraq extremists
• Jihadists seize Syria's Tabqa airport after bloody battle: NGO
• Obama's summer vacation by the numbers
• After Foley murder, more jihadi threats to murder hostages
• 'Vacation' over, back to White House for Obama
• ISIS Intent on Hitting West, 'External Operations' Under Way, McCaul Believes
• U.S. Republicans pressure Obama to step up action against ISIS
• Islamic authority: Extremists no 'Islamic State'
• Ambassador: UK close to Identifying Foley killer
• Britain says it close to identifying beheading suspect
• Foley killing an 'utter betrayal': British foreign secretary
• Iraq urges global action against Islamic State, Iran vows solidarity
• UK close to identifying Briton suspected of beheading
• Germany: no Iraq combat troops or weapons to PKK
• British 'close' to identifying Foley killer, envoy says
• Iran says Iraq able to fight militants alone
• Italy: Dozens of Italians fighting in Iraq, Syria
• UK appoints security envoy to Iraqi Kurdistan
• Qatar denies funding extremist Islamic State group
• German hostage freed by Islamic State in Syria in June: die Welt am Sonntag paper
• History in flames: Belgium recalls Leuven's ruins
• We’re One Step Closer to Boots on the Ground in Iraq
• Why Merkel Has the Clout to End the Ukraine Crisis
• How James Foley’s Death Changed the Course of Obama’s Foreign Policy
• Europe fears deflation as Ukraine stays center-stage
• Iran FM visits Iraqi neighbour at war with IS

Jihadis capture major Syrian air base in northeast Posted: 24 Aug 2014 04:54 PM PDT BEIRUT (AP) — Islamic State fighters captured a major military air base in northeastern Syria on Sunday, eliminating the last government-held outpost in a province otherwise dominated by the jihadi group, activists and state media said.

Iraq pleads for global help in fight against jihadists Posted: 24 Aug 2014 04:41 PM PDT Iraq called Sunday for global support for its fight against jihadists, as Shiite neighbour Iran said it was helping Baghdad resist the militants but not with soldiers on the ground. Iraq is struggling to regain significant parts of the country after a lightning militant offensive led by the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group seized second city Mosul in June and swept through the country's Sunni heartland, as security forces fled. The jihadist fighters have been bombarded since August 8 by US air strikes in northern Iraq, allowing Kurdish peshmerga security forces to claw back a limited amount of lost territory, including the Qaraj area, which they retook on Sunday.

Nigerian town seized by Boko Haram 'part of Islamic caliphate': leader Posted: 24 Aug 2014 04:05 PM PDT Boko Haram's leader said a northeast town seized by the insurgents earlier this month has been placed under an Islamic caliphate, in a video obtained by AFP on Sunday. "Thanks be to Allah who gave victory to our brethren in (the town of) Gwoza and made it part of the Islamic caliphate," Abubakar Shekau said in the 52-minute video.

U.S. says American held in Syria has been freed Posted: 24 Aug 2014 02:45 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — An American journalist kidnapped and held hostage for nearly two years by an al-Qaida-linked group in Syria was released Sunday, less than a week after the horrific execution of American journalist James Foley by Islamic militants.

US says American held in Syria has been freed Posted: 24 Aug 2014 02:42 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government says an American held hostage for about two years by an al-Qaida-linked group in Syria has been released.

Bishop: Slain US journalist Foley opened our eyes Posted: 24 Aug 2014 02:38 PM PDT ROCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Slain U.S. journalist James Foley was living his faith by bringing images to the world of people suffering from war and oppressive regimes, a Roman Catholic bishop said Sunday at a Mass in his honor.

Sen. Rand Paul calls Hillary Clinton a 'war hawk' Posted: 24 Aug 2014 02:24 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Calling Hillary Rodham Clinton "a war hawk," Sen. Rand Paul says that if the former secretary of state seeks the presidency, some voters will worry that she will get the U.S. involved in another Mideast war.

Arab ministers in Saudi discuss Syria, IS crises Posted: 24 Aug 2014 02:16 PM PDT Arab foreign ministers held a meeting in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to discuss the Syrian conflict and the rise of "extremism" in the region, the official SPA news agency reported. The meeting came as US media reported that Washington, which has launched air raids in northern Iraq against Islamic State, could consider similar action against IS jihadists in Syria. The closed-door talks in the Red Sea city of Jeddah was attended by the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, as well as an advisor to Jordan's foreign minister, said SPA.

US hostage freed after being held in Syria for two years Posted: 24 Aug 2014 02:06 PM PDT An American who has been held hostage for 22 months by an Islamic rebel group in Syria was released Sunday to United Nations peacekeepers in the Golan Heights, officials said. "Finally he is returning home," US Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement, confirming the release of Peter Theo Curtis, a 45-year-old author and freelance journalist whose disappearance had not been previously reported. The news of his release came less than a week after a video surfaced showing the slaying of captive US journalist James Foley at the hands of an Islamic State militant. Curtis was handed over to UN peacekeepers in the village of Al Rafid, Quneitra, in the Golan Heights and, after undergoing a medical checkup, was turned over to US representatives, the United Nations said.

American Journalist Peter Theo Curtis Released by Captors in Syria Posted: 24 Aug 2014 01:50 PM PDT Curtis Held Hostage in Syria for Two Years

US strikes targets in northern Iraq near Arbil, Mosul dam Posted: 24 Aug 2014 01:39 PM PDT The United States on Sunday used aircraft and drones to strike targets in northern Iraq to try to rein in Islamic State militants, who have seized a large swath of territory in the region. "US military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in support of Iraqi security force operations, using attack and remotely-piloted aircraft to conduct two airstrikes in the vicinity of Arbil and Mosul dam," a statement from Florida-based Centcom said, using one of the acronyms by which the Islamic State (IS) is known. "One strike destroyed an ISIL humvee near the Mosul Dam and the other strike destroyed an ISIL armed vehicle near Arbil. US forces acted "under authority to support Iraqi security force and Kurdish defense force operations, as well as to protect critical infrastructure, US personnel and facilities, and support humanitarian efforts," it added.

Hundreds dead as Islamic State seizes Syrian air base: monitor Posted: 24 Aug 2014 12:49 PM PDT By Sylvia Westall BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State militants stormed an air base in northeast Syria on Sunday, capturing it from government forces after days of fighting that cost more than 500 lives, a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 346 Islamic State fighters were killed and more than 170 members of government forces had died since Tuesday in the fight over Tabqa base, making it one of the deadliest confrontations between the two groups since the start of Syria's war. The Observatory, which monitors violence in Syria through sources on the ground, said fighting raged inside the air base on Sunday.

Iraq Yazidis pray for chance to return to homes Posted: 24 Aug 2014 12:45 PM PDT At the Yazidi faith's most revered shrine at Lalish in northern Iraq, teenager Ezdan Omar closes his eyes, makes his wish and then hurls a cloth at the stone altar. They are among tens of thousands of Yazidis who fled their homes in the Sinjar region of northwestern Iraq earlier this month when jihadists stormed the area. "I came here today to pray for this oppression to end, so that we Yazidis can return home to Sinjar," the teenager says. Lalish lies in the mountains, some 60 kilometres (40 miles) northeast of Iraq's militant-held second city Mosul, and the surrounding Yazidi towns and villages have so far escaped the attention of the jihadists.

With ISIS Threat, Some in GOP Want Defense Cuts Repealed Posted: 24 Aug 2014 12:45 PM PDT For years, Pentagon officials have publicly grumbled that sequestration, combined with the removal of some $600 billion from the defense budget over the next decade, would decimate the military's ability to confront enemies around the world. Now, with Russia and Ukraine on the verge of war and as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria plunders the Middle East – and presents a bold new challenge to the U.S. Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) revealed that he and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) would attempt to repeal the defense cuts mandated by sequestration.  In a broad critique of President Obama's strategy to confront ISIS, McCain said that he and Graham would make the "repeal of defense sequestration … our first goal, hopefully in September."

Israel leader tries to link Hamas, Iraq extremists Posted: 24 Aug 2014 12:35 PM PDT JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's prime minister is trying to capitalize on the gruesome video of an American journalist's beheading by the Islamic State extremist group, saying Hamas is an equally vicious foe as he tries to rally international support in Israel's war in the Gaza Strip. But the comparisons between Hamas and Islamic State are being met with reservations by Israel's allies and enemies alike.

Jihadists seize Syria's Tabqa airport after bloody battle: NGO Posted: 24 Aug 2014 11:55 AM PDT Islamic State jihadists on Sunday won a bloody battle for Tabqa military airport, last stronghold of the Damascus regime in Syria's northern province of Raqa, a monitoring group and state media said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 346 jihadists and 25 Syrian troops had been killed in the fighting at the airport since last Tuesday, with another 170 soldiers dying during fierce clashes on Sunday. "One hundred and seventy Syrian soldiers were killed on Sunday in the offensive which led to the IS jihadists seizing Tabqa airport," the Observatory said in an email to AFP. Syrian state television said troops had staged an "evacuation" of the airport.

Obama's summer vacation by the numbers Posted: 24 Aug 2014 11:27 AM PDT After two weeks away from the White House, President Barack Obama's vacation on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, ends late Sunday. A look, by the numbers, at how Obama spent the time while juggling his responsibilities as president, including monitoring the situations in Iraq and in Ferguson, Missouri:

After Foley murder, more jihadi threats to murder hostages Posted: 24 Aug 2014 11:17 AM PDT Lebanese security personnel held hostage by two jihadi rebel groups based in Syria have appeared in a video warning that they will be killed by their captors unless militants from the Shiite Hezbollah movement that has been supporting Bashar al-Assad withdraws from Syria. The release of the video on Saturday came as hopes faded for a breakthrough in negotiations between the Lebanese government and the kidnappers, a mix of Jabhat al-Nusra, Syria's Al-Qaeda-affiliate, and the self-styled Islamic State (IS), both of which hold two sets of hostages. Though IS is best known for its fight against Assad in Syria, and for its seizure of territory in northern Iraq this year and threats to wipe out the country's religious minorities like Christians and the Kurdish Yazidis, the Sunni militant group and its allies have also increasingly engaged in fighting inside Lebanon. The more than 30 Lebanese hostages were captured earlier in the month during fighting between Syrian militants and the Lebanese army in the Sunni-populated town of Arsal.

'Vacation' over, back to White House for Obama Posted: 24 Aug 2014 11:15 AM PDT EDGARTOWN, Mass. (AP) — President Barack Obama's summer vacation off the Massachusetts coast is nearing an end.

ISIS Intent on Hitting West, 'External Operations' Under Way, McCaul Believes Posted: 24 Aug 2014 10:45 AM PDT House Homeland Security Chair Rep. Michael McCaul said today he believes that ISIS, the jihadist army that has taken control of large part of Iraq and brutally murdered American journalist James Foley, has external operations under way to hit the West. "Their focus right now...

U.S. Republicans pressure Obama to step up action against ISIS Posted: 24 Aug 2014 10:44 AM PDT By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans on Sunday called for more aggressive U.S. Representative Mike Rogers, Republican chairman of the House of Representative Intelligence Committee, urged the administration to work with Arab partners on robust steps to disrupt the operations of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Islamic authority: Extremists no 'Islamic State' Posted: 24 Aug 2014 09:44 AM PDT CAIRO (AP) — The top Islamic authority in Egypt, revered by many Muslims worldwide, launched an Internet-based campaign Sunday challenging an extremist group in Syria and Iraq by saying it should not be called an "Islamic State."

Ambassador: UK close to Identifying Foley killer Posted: 24 Aug 2014 09:39 AM PDT LONDON (AP) — Police and spy agencies are close to identifying the English-accented militant depicted on video showing the killing of U.S. journalist James Foley, Britain's ambassador to the United States said Sunday.

Britain says it close to identifying beheading suspect Posted: 24 Aug 2014 09:38 AM PDT By Babak Dehghanpisheh and Eric Beech BAGHDAD/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Britain is close to identifying a suspected British national shown beheading American journalist James Foley in a video released by Islamic State militants last week, the British ambassador to the United States said on Sunday. With Islamic State fighters now in control of vast areas of northern Iraq, the country's president-designate, Haider al-Abadi, used a meeting with the visiting Iranian foreign minister to call for greater international efforts to destroy the Islamist group. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of Iran, a Shi'ite Muslim power likely to wield influence over the formation of Abadi's new cabinet, reaffirmed Tehran's support for Iraq's territorial unity and its fight against militants.

Foley killing an 'utter betrayal': British foreign secretary Posted: 24 Aug 2014 09:31 AM PDT Britain's Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Sunday that the killing of US journalist James Foley by a man speaking with an English accent was an "utter betrayal of our country". There is growing concern in London that British passport holders who travel to fight in Iraq and Syria could return to commit attacks on British soil. The Islamic State (IS) jihadist group posted a video on Tuesday in which a masked militant with a London accent is seen executing Foley, who had been missing since his capture in Syria in 2012.

Iraq urges global action against Islamic State, Iran vows solidarity Posted: 24 Aug 2014 09:16 AM PDT By Babak Dehghanpisheh BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi said on Sunday during talks with Iran's foreign minister that international efforts would be necessary to destroy Islamic State Sunni militants who have seized swathes of his country and of Syria. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of Iran, a Shi'ite Muslim regional power likely to wield influence over the formation of Abadi's new cabinet, reaffirmed Tehran's support for Iraq's territorial unity and its fight against militants. "Abadi pointed to the presence of many dangers posed in the region as a result of the existence of the terrorist gang Islamic State which requires regional and international efforts to exterminate this terrorist organization," his office said in a statement after the talks with Zarif. The advance of Islamic State through northern Iraq has alarmed the Baghdad government and its Western allies, prompting the first U.S.

UK close to identifying Briton suspected of beheading Posted: 24 Aug 2014 07:30 AM PDT "We are close" to identifying the man in the video, Westmacott told CNN's "State of the Union" program on Sunday. British authorities are trying to identify the man, who has a London accent and has been dubbed "Jihadi John" by British media. The masked figure beheaded Foley in a video released on Tuesday that also threatened a second captive American journalist, Steven Sotloff.

Germany: no Iraq combat troops or weapons to PKK Posted: 24 Aug 2014 07:22 AM PDT BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Angela Merkel has ruled out sending German combat troops to Iraq and is dismissing suggestions her country could send weapons to the separatist Kurdish PKK movement.

British 'close' to identifying Foley killer, envoy says Posted: 24 Aug 2014 07:19 AM PDT British authorities are "close" to identifying the hooded Islamic State jihadist who beheaded American journalist James Foley, the British ambassador to the United States said Sunday. "I can't say more than this but I know from my colleagues at home that we are close," said Ambassador Peter Westmacott. The jihadist, who was shown on video executing Foley and then threatening to kill a second US hostage if President Barack Obama did not change course in Iraq, spoke English with a British accent. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said in an article published by the Times of London that Foley's killing was an "utter betrayal of our country."

Iran says Iraq able to fight militants alone Posted: 24 Aug 2014 07:10 AM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — Iran sees no need to send fighters to help the Iraqi government battle the Islamic State group, even as Sunni militants inch closer to the Iraq-Iran border, its top diplomat said Sunday.

Italy: Dozens of Italians fighting in Iraq, Syria Posted: 24 Aug 2014 06:45 AM PDT ROME (AP) — Italy's interior minister says a few dozen Italians are fighting within the ranks of the Islamic State in northern Iraq and Syria, and Italy is concerned that the extremist group already represents a terror threat to Rome.

UK appoints security envoy to Iraqi Kurdistan Posted: 24 Aug 2014 06:35 AM PDT LONDON (AP) — Britain has appointed a security envoy to Iraq's Kurdistan region as part of efforts to defeat militants of the Islamic State group.

Qatar denies funding extremist Islamic State group Posted: 24 Aug 2014 06:26 AM PDT DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Gulf nation of Qatar is hitting back at suggestions that it supports the Islamic State extremist group, saying that "determined, collective action" is needed to end sectarian violence gripping Iraq and Syria.

German hostage freed by Islamic State in Syria in June: die Welt am Sonntag paper Posted: 24 Aug 2014 04:51 AM PDT A German man held hostage for about a year in Syria by fighters of Islamic State was released in June after the government did a deal with the militant group, die Welt am Sonntag newspaper said on Sunday. Citing German security sources, the newspaper said the Islamists, who last week released a video showing the beheading of an American journalist, were given something for the man's release but did not specify the nature of the trade-off. The foreign ministry refused to comment on the report and the interior ministry was unavailable. The newspaper said that a 27-year-old man from the eastern state of Brandenburg was kidnapped by IS fighters while traveling in Syria in 2013.

History in flames: Belgium recalls Leuven's ruins Posted: 24 Aug 2014 03:58 AM PDT LEUVEN, Belgium (AP) — A century after German forces burned down the Leuven University library, Marie Legrand still has visions of the horrid scene. Even the scent of smoke she smelled as a 3-year-old stings in her mind to this day.

We’re One Step Closer to Boots on the Ground in Iraq Posted: 24 Aug 2014 03:18 AM PDT President Obama appears to be taking a very big step on the path toward having American troops in combat in Iraq to go up against the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS), the vicious terrorist group now in control of much of western Iraq and eastern Syria.  Fearing a threat from ISIS members who might be holding western passports, and in the wake of the brutal murder of American journalist James Foley at the hands of the group, the administration seems to be in a feverish mindset toward the group ISIS. A "range of options" is being considered, according to a senior administration official. In the near term, the most likely course of action would be air strikes against the group in Syria, where ISIS has a safe haven.

Why Merkel Has the Clout to End the Ukraine Crisis Posted: 24 Aug 2014 03:00 AM PDT As the crisis in Ukraine continues with Russian President Vladimir Putin's contempt of the west growing, it's becoming clear that German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be a key player if the crisis is to be resolved without a wider conflict.  Since the crisis began, Merkel has played the stern headmaster to the United States and Russia, which appear more as squabbling students than world powers. Amid heated rhetoric coming from both Washington and Moscow, Merkel has been measured, chastising Russia when necessary, but calling for restraint from countries eager to punish Russia.  Germany and Russia have deep economic ties through energy, and Russia relies on payment for this energy to fill state coffers.

How James Foley’s Death Changed the Course of Obama’s Foreign Policy Posted: 24 Aug 2014 02:30 AM PDT Colin Powell is an American hero.He served two combat tours in Vietnam, and rose to become the first African-American Secretary of State, National Security Advisor, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Powell Doctrine is somewhat of a misnomer: It's actually mostly the Weinberger Doctrine, articulated by President Reagan's former Secretary of Defense and refined by Powell afterwards. It says that American military power should not be used except overwhelmingly and as a last resort, with a clear political objective and exit strategy in mind.

Europe fears deflation as Ukraine stays center-stage Posted: 24 Aug 2014 02:25 AM PDT By Gavin Jones ROME (Reuters) - The euro zone's growing fears of deflation will be stirred again on Friday when preliminary consumer price data for August is issued, with signs the European Central Bank could be looking at bolder steps to help the region's stagnant economy. Analyst polled by Reuters forecast the annual inflation rate to slip to 0.3 percent from 0.4 percent in July, falling even further below the ECB's target of below but close to 2 percent and mired deep in what the bank calls the "danger zone". The ECB cut interest rates in June and promised banks cheap long-term loans starting in September, and any new measures before those loans kick in had been considered unlikely.

Iran FM visits Iraqi neighbour at war with IS Posted: 24 Aug 2014 12:00 AM PDT Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Sunday began a two-day visit to Iraq, which is fighting a Sunni Muslim insurgency led by Islamic State jihadists, state news agency IRNA reported. It said he was to meet his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari as well as the prime minister-designate, Haidar al-Abadi, with the issue of the Iran-Iraq border demarcation also on the agenda. Iran, which like Iraq is predominantly Shiite, was a longtime backer of the outgoing premier, Nuri al-Maliki, before dropping its support of the divisive leader in favour of Abadi.

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