Yahoo! News: Iraq

---

• Another 1,000 U.S. Troops to Stay in Afghanistan
• US, S.African Qaeda hostages dead in Yemen rescue bid
• AP INTERVIEW: Canada rules out Syria airstrikes
• More US troops than planned to stay Afghanistan
• American, South African hostages killed in Yemen
• Azerbaijan jails investigative journalist
• Britain to boost military presence in Persian Gulf
• Syrian troops repel IS attack on eastern air base
• Egypt adds new measures against terror recruitment
• Additional 1,000 US troops to stay in Afghanistan, says Hagel
• U.S. to keep more troops in Afghanistan as violence spikes
• Officials: Bombings kill 10 people in Iraq
• Islamic State kill 16 from Iraqi tribe
• Swiss escapes Philippine militant kidnappers
• Britain to open new military base in Bahrain
• Syria says repels Islamic State attack on air base
• Islamic State group support grows in Jordan town
• Back from jihad, Jordanians pick up their lives
• Iran confirms air strikes in Iraq against Islamic State: Guardian newspaper
• Hagel, in Kabul, says Afghans to battle back Taliban threat

Another 1,000 U.S. Troops to Stay in Afghanistan Posted: 06 Dec 2014 12:36 PM PST During a surprise trip to Afghanistan, U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said on Saturday that up to 1,000 additional American troops will remain in the country for the first part of 2015. This means abandoning a plan to cut U.S. troop levels to 9,800 by the end of the year because of a temporary shortfall in allied forces, not because of a recent surge in Taliban attacks.

US, S.African Qaeda hostages dead in Yemen rescue bid Posted: 06 Dec 2014 12:32 PM PST Obama said he authorised the joint operation involving US and Yemeni special forces to rescue American photojournalist Luke Somers because his life was believed to be "in imminent danger". South African teacher Pierre Korkie was also killed, just a day before he was to be freed after more than a year in captivity, said the charity that had negotiated his release. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)threatened in a video Thursday to execute Somers, 33, kidnapped 15 months ago in Sanaa.

AP INTERVIEW: Canada rules out Syria airstrikes Posted: 06 Dec 2014 11:56 AM PST MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Canada has no plans to follow its neighbor the United States in expanding airstrikes against the Islamic State group into Syria, the country's top diplomat said Saturday during a visit to the Middle East.

More US troops than planned to stay Afghanistan Posted: 06 Dec 2014 10:56 AM PST KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — With striking optimism, Chuck Hagel said Saturday on his final visit to Afghanistan as U.S. defense secretary that he believes Afghans will successfully put down a surge in Taliban attacks in the capital and stabilize the nation.

American, South African hostages killed in Yemen Posted: 06 Dec 2014 10:33 AM PST SANAA, Yemen (AP) — An American photojournalist and a South African teacher were killed Saturday during a high-risk, U.S.-led raid to free them from al-Qaida-affiliated militants in Yemen, a turbulent Arab country that is a centerpiece of U.S. counterterrorism efforts in the region.

Azerbaijan jails investigative journalist Posted: 06 Dec 2014 10:30 AM PST BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Azerbaijan has detained a prominent investigative journalist whose reporting has often featured the business dealings of top politicians in the country.

Britain to boost military presence in Persian Gulf Posted: 06 Dec 2014 10:02 AM PST MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Britain has signed a deal with Bahrain that will bolster the United Kingdom's military presence in the island nation and give it permanent naval base in the oil-rich Persian Gulf region, officials announced Saturday.

Syrian troops repel IS attack on eastern air base Posted: 06 Dec 2014 09:29 AM PST BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian government forces repelled an attack by the Islamic State group on a major air base in the country's east on Saturday, in fighting that killed dozens on both sides, activists and state media said.

Egypt adds new measures against terror recruitment Posted: 06 Dec 2014 09:16 AM PST CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian airport officials say authorities have enacted new rules that ban their countrymen from travelling to Turkey without a permit, a move intended to stem militant recruitment.

Additional 1,000 US troops to stay in Afghanistan, says Hagel Posted: 06 Dec 2014 08:32 AM PST An additional 1,000 US troops will remain in Afghanistan next year to meet a temporary shortfall in NATO forces, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Saturday during a visit to Kabul. President Barack Obama approved the move despite an earlier plan to limit the US force to a maximum of 9,800 troops in 2015. A protracted Afghan election delayed the signing of security deals with the United States and NATO countries, which set back plans for Western governments to contribute troops to the post-2014 mission, Hagel said. "President Obama has provided US military commanders the flexibility to manage any temporary force shortfalls that we might experience for a few months as we allow for coalition troops to arrive," he told a press conference.

U.S. to keep more troops in Afghanistan as violence spikes Posted: 06 Dec 2014 08:21 AM PST By Phil Stewart KABUL (Reuters) - The United States will keep up to 1,000 more soldiers than previously planned in Afghanistan into next year, outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Saturday, in a recognition of the still formidable challenge from Taliban insurgents. Hagel, confirming a change in the U.S. drawdown schedule first reported by Reuters in November, said the additional forces were needed because delays in signing security pacts had impacted plans to raise troops from other countries. ...

Officials: Bombings kill 10 people in Iraq Posted: 06 Dec 2014 05:55 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — A string of bombings targeting Shiites killed 10 people Saturday around Baghdad, Iraqi officials said.

Islamic State kill 16 from Iraqi tribe Posted: 06 Dec 2014 05:55 AM PST BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Islamic State fighters kidnapped and killed 16 members of an Iraqi tribe which has fought the Sunni militant group in the western province of Anbar, a tribal leader and a hospital source said on Saturday. Tribal chief Sheikh Naeem al-Ga'oud told Reuters Islamic State captured the men from the Albu Nimr tribe three days ago. Responding to a tip, tribal members searched a location about 10 km (6 miles) north of the town of Hit, and found their bodies in a water well. ...

Swiss escapes Philippine militant kidnappers Posted: 06 Dec 2014 05:42 AM PST A Swiss man kidnapped by Islamic militants in the Philippines nearly three years ago escaped on Saturday after a fierce struggle with one of his captors over a machete and a frantic run to freedom under gunfire, the military said. Lorenzo Vinciguerra took advantage of a pre-dawn assault by soldiers on his Abu Sayyaf abductors in the jungles of a remote southern island to make his bold escape, the local military spokeswoman told AFP. "Vinciguerra was slashed on the cheek but he stabbed the other man in the head... then the bandits shot at him but he got away." A Dutch man who was abducted with Vinciguerra, Ewold Horn, was unable to run away because he was too frail and is believed to still be a captive, Muyuela said. Local military commander Colonel Alan Arrojado said his troops, acting on a tip, had been able to track the gunmen on Jolo island, a known stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf about 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) south of Manila.

Britain to open new military base in Bahrain Posted: 06 Dec 2014 03:43 AM PST London (AFP) - Britain is to open a new military base in Bahrain, both countries announced, its first permanent base in the Middle East since it formally withdrew from the region in 1971.

Syria says repels Islamic State attack on air base Posted: 06 Dec 2014 03:24 AM PST BEIRUT (Reuters) - A Syrian military source said on Saturday that government forces had repelled an attack by Islamic State militants on an air base in the eastern province of Deir al-Zor, one of the last remaining government stronghold in eastern Syria. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Islamic State fighters broke into the Deir al-Zor air base at dawn on Saturday but were forced to retreat. It said 119 fighters on both sides were killed. A Syrian security source, when asked about the breach, said: "The terrorists have been unable to control the air base. ...

Islamic State group support grows in Jordan town Posted: 06 Dec 2014 02:40 AM PST MAAN, Jordan (AP) — Local authorities quickly stripped away public signs of support for the Islamic State group in this desert town. Black flags have been removed from rooftops. Graffiti proclaiming the extremists' imminent victory have been whitewashed.

Back from jihad, Jordanians pick up their lives Posted: 06 Dec 2014 02:21 AM PST MAAN, Jordan (AP) — The three young Jordanians didn't start out as extremists. They grew up in mainstream Muslim families. But they grew increasingly angry at what they felt were Western injustices against Muslims — and decided to join the jihad in Syria and Yemen.

Iran confirms air strikes in Iraq against Islamic State: Guardian newspaper Posted: 06 Dec 2014 12:48 AM PST BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A senior Iranian official has confirmed his country carried out air strikes in neighboring Iraq against Islamic State fighters at the request of Iraqi authorities, Britain's Guardian newspaper reported. It quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Ebrahim Rahimpour as saying the strikes were not coordinated with the United States, which is also waging an air campaign against the radical Sunni Muslim militants who control large parts of north and west Iraq. ...

Hagel, in Kabul, says Afghans to battle back Taliban threat Posted: 05 Dec 2014 11:54 PM PST By Phil Stewart KABUL (Reuters) - Outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel expressed confidence in the ability of Afghan forces to defend Kabul following a spike in Taliban strikes as he arrived in the Afghan capital on Saturday for his final trip to Afghanistan as Pentagon chief. Hagel's unannounced visit came near the end of the bloodiest year in Afghanistan since the war against Taliban militants began in 2001, and after a particularly violent wave of attacks in the capital. ...

You are subscribed to email updates from Iraq News Headlines - Yahoo! News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States