Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• India questions man over pro-Islamic State tweets
• Shutdown averted for now as Congress extends US funding
• Democrats push to confirm Obama nominees
• Britain confirms 'hundreds' of extra trainers for Iraq
• Libyan forces repel Islamist attack on oil region
• Kurdish forces kill 16 jihadists in Syria
• Kerry to meet Russia's Lavrov in Rome on Sunday
• UK to send hundreds of troops to Iraq: newspaper
• Islamic State group shoots down Iraqi helicopter
• UK defense chief says more British troops to Iraq
• Multiple attacks kill 20 in Afghanistan as NATO deadline looms
• Devotion, defiance draw millions to Iraq pilgrimage
• IRAQ
• Republicans divided over Senate torture report. Dick Cheney in the spotlight
• Islamic State storms town in western Iraq, kills 19 police: officials
• Indian police arrest 'jihadi tweeter'
• India questions man for pro-Islamic State tweets
• Islamist militias form new coalition in Libya's Derna
• India police detain man said to be behind pro-Islamic State Twitter posts
• Islamic State beheads four men for blasphemy in Syria: monitor
• UN still struggling to move aid into Syria
• Islamic State influence spreads to African jihadists
• The foreign students accidentally trapped in Ukraine's war

India questions man over pro-Islamic State tweets Posted: 13 Dec 2014 04:00 PM PST BANGALORE, India (AP) — Police in southern India questioned a man who they say acknowledged to running a popular pro-Islamic State group Twitter account but appears to have no direct links to the militant group.

Shutdown averted for now as Congress extends US funding Posted: 13 Dec 2014 05:09 PM PST The US Senate gave itself four additional days to pass a $1.1 trillion federal spending bill, easing the threat of a government shutdown that was looming at midnight. Amid deep divisions between Republicans and Democrats over how to proceed on funding government through September, feuding lawmakers unanimously passed a measure that extends funds to late Wednesday. The extension was the second passed by Congress in as many days as leaders struggle to finalize the spending bill and bid farewell to the 113th Congress, one of the least productive sessions in modern history. It faces a procedural test vote at 1:00 am (0600 GMT) Sunday, and is then expected to pass the Senate on Monday and head to President Barack Obama's desk for his signature.

Democrats push to confirm Obama nominees Posted: 13 Dec 2014 01:35 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats are pushing to confirm roughly 20 of President Barack Obama's nominees in the final days of the lame-duck session — and before the Republicans grab the majority next month.

Britain confirms 'hundreds' of extra trainers for Iraq Posted: 13 Dec 2014 12:53 PM PST London (AFP) - Britain is likely to increase the number of its forces in Iraq on a training mission to "the very low hundreds", Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said in comments published by the Daily Telegraph Saturday.

Libyan forces repel Islamist attack on oil region Posted: 13 Dec 2014 12:43 PM PST Islamist fighters launched a three-pronged attack Saturday on a key oil region in eastern Libya but were pushed back by pro-government forces, military officials said. The attack came as Islamist militias in the eastern town of Derna say they have formed a new coalition ahead of an expected assault by pro-government forces. More than three years after a NATO-backed uprising ousted and killed long-time dictator Moamer Kadhafi, the country remains awash with weapons and powerful militias, and has rival governments and parliaments. Islamists have seized Tripoli and second city Benghazi in the east, and forces loyal to international recognised Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thani are fighting to regain control of them.

Kurdish forces kill 16 jihadists in Syria Posted: 13 Dec 2014 11:32 AM PST Kurdish forces killed at least 16 Islamic State group fighters in an attack on Saturday in northeast Syria near the border with Turkey, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The assault targeted IS positions south of the town of Ras al-Ain in Hasakeh province, the Britain-based monitoring group added. Ras al-Ain was the scene of fierce fighting last year before Kurdish forces ousted the jihadists from the border town. The Observatory, which relies on activists and medics on the ground for its information, also reported clashes at the jihadist-besieged border town of Kobane, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) away.

Kerry to meet Russia's Lavrov in Rome on Sunday Posted: 13 Dec 2014 09:28 AM PST Washington (AFP) - Top US diplomat John Kerry will meet his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Rome on Sunday, amid anger in Moscow over the prospect of new US sanctions and possible supply of US weapons to Ukraine.

UK to send hundreds of troops to Iraq: newspaper Posted: 13 Dec 2014 09:25 AM PST LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will send hundreds of troops to train Iraqi and Kurdish forces in Iraq, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon told The Daily Telegraph newspaper on Saturday, in a bid to step up the battle against Islamic State fighters. U.S President Barack Obama has already authorized the deployment of over 3,000 troops to the country and the top U.S commander guiding the coalition effort said earlier this week that allies would send about 1,500 additional troops. Fallon said troops in the "very low hundreds" would be sent next month. He said that following air strikes by U.S. ...

Islamic State group shoots down Iraqi helicopter Posted: 13 Dec 2014 07:53 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — Islamic State group militants shot down an Iraqi military helicopter, officials said Saturday, killing the two pilots onboard and raising fresh concerns about the extremists' ability to attack aircraft amid ongoing U.S.-led coalition airstrikes.

UK defense chief says more British troops to Iraq Posted: 13 Dec 2014 07:49 AM PST LONDON (AP) — Britain's defense secretary says there will be an additional deployment of U.K. troops to Iraq to offer help and expertise in the fight against Islamic State group militants.

Multiple attacks kill 20 in Afghanistan as NATO deadline looms Posted: 13 Dec 2014 07:20 AM PST Taliban insurgents killed at least 20 people in a series of gun and suicide attacks in Afghanistan on Saturday, underlining worsening security as US-led NATO forces end their combat mission in the country. A suicide blast wrecked an Afghan military bus in Kabul, killing seven soldiers, while a senior court official was assassinated in the city and 12 Afghan mine clearance workers were gunned down in the south. Two NATO soldiers were also killed on Friday in an attack in the east of Afghanistan, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement, without identifying their nationality. The Taliban claimed responsibility for all the attacks.

Devotion, defiance draw millions to Iraq pilgrimage Posted: 13 Dec 2014 07:02 AM PST Millions of Shiite Muslim pilgrims defied the threat of jihadist attacks and thronged the Iraqi shrine city of Karbala on Saturday for the climax of annual Arbaeen mourning rituals. Some had walked for more than 12 days, from Iraq's far south or across the border from Iran, while others were bused in or crammed into lorries for the journey. Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi said a total of 17 million will have gone through Karbala for Arbaeen this year, including more than four million foreigners from 60 countries. A sea of devotees descended on the city's shrine of Imam Hussein, beating their heads and chests to show remorse for not saving him from the armies of the caliph Yazid that beheaded him in 680 AD.

IRAQ Posted: 13 Dec 2014 06:54 AM PST Map locates helicopters shot down over Iraqi airspace.; 1c x 2 inches; 46.5 mm x 50 mm;

Republicans divided over Senate torture report. Dick Cheney in the spotlight Posted: 13 Dec 2014 06:20 AM PST That the Senate Intelligence Committee report on torture has become a partisan document – and may have started out that way – is obvious.

Islamic State storms town in western Iraq, kills 19 police: officials Posted: 13 Dec 2014 06:09 AM PST BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Islamic State fighters stormed a town in Iraq's western Anbar province on Saturday, killing at least 19 policemen and trapping others inside their headquarters, in the latest attack in the desert region where it controls large amounts of territory, officials said. Islamic State seized the town of al-Wafa, 45 km (27 miles) west of Anbar's capital Ramadi on Saturday after starting its assault early on Friday. With the capture of al-Wafa, Islamic State now controls three major towns to the west of Ramadi, including Hit and Kubaisa. ...

Indian police arrest 'jihadi tweeter' Posted: 13 Dec 2014 02:48 AM PST Indian police on Saturday arrested a 24-year-old believed to be the handler of an influential Twitter account supporting the Islamic State group, officials said. Mehdi Masroor Biswas, who works for an Indian food conglomerate in the southern city of Bangalore, is alleged to be behind the Twitter account @ShamiWitness. The account had 17,700 followers, including many foreigners fighting for the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, until it was shut down following a report by Britain's Channel 4 News on Thursday.

India questions man for pro-Islamic State tweets Posted: 13 Dec 2014 02:44 AM PST Police in southern India said Saturday that they have arrested a man who has admitted to running a popular pro-Islamic State group Twitter account, but added that he appears to have no direct links to ...

Islamist militias form new coalition in Libya's Derna Posted: 13 Dec 2014 01:15 AM PST Islamist militias in the eastern Libyan town of Derna say they have formed a new coalition ahead of an expected assault by pro-government forces. Forces loyal to former general Khalifa Haftar and Abdullah al-Thani, Libya's internationally recognised prime minister, are fighting to wrest full control of Tripoli and the eastern city of Benghazi from Islamist militants.

India police detain man said to be behind pro-Islamic State Twitter posts Posted: 13 Dec 2014 01:14 AM PST By Sanjeev Miglani and Nidhi Verma NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian police on Saturday arrested a company executive suspected of operating a pro-Islamic State Twitter account that pumped out a stream of updates on the violent group's military campaign from his base in Bengaluru. Mehdi Masroor Biswas's arrest at home came days after Britain's Channel Four identified him as the man behind "Shami Witness", the Twitter handle followed by thousands of people including most foreign fighters for the Islamic State. ...

Islamic State beheads four men for blasphemy in Syria: monitor Posted: 13 Dec 2014 12:40 AM PST BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State's self-declared police force in western Syria decapitated four men after accusing them of blasphemy, a rights group monitoring the Syrian conflict said on Saturday. The men were beheaded in the countryside east of the city of Homs by the militant group's "Islamic Police", the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Observatory, which monitors the conflict using sources on the ground, reported a similar killing on Tuesday, when Islamic State beheaded a man in a town square in the north of the country. ...

UN still struggling to move aid into Syria Posted: 13 Dec 2014 12:24 AM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.N.'s decision in July to begin moving aid into war-torn Syria without the consent of President Bashar Assad was heralded as unprecedented. It was the first time that humanitarian need trumped a nation's sovereignty.

Islamic State influence spreads to African jihadists Posted: 12 Dec 2014 08:24 PM PST Its main battlegrounds are far away and its true influence hard to judge, but the Islamic State's black banner is attracting the attention of jihadists in Africa, particularly in Nigeria. IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's so-called caliphate is based in Syria and Iraq and draws most of its recruits from the Middle East, North Africa and Europe's immigrant communities. Outside observers see the Islamic State's influence, for example, in the tactics, rhetoric and even online media presence of the Boko Haram rebels of northeast Nigeria and neighboring border areas.

The foreign students accidentally trapped in Ukraine's war Posted: 12 Dec 2014 08:01 PM PST Wissam Fawzi left Iraq in 2006, hoping to put the horrors of war behind him and study dentistry far away from the sound of bombs. Unfortunately, he picked eastern Ukraine for his new home. "I wanted to move to Donetsk because there was war in Iraq. "I knew some people in Donetsk that told me the town was pretty, that people were nice," said Fawzi in fluent Russian.

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