Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• US names new Syria envoy
• U.S. Marines see decision soon on F-35 fighter combat-readiness
• Bush denounces 'crazy message of hate' in campaign
• Saudi FM slams 'aggressive' Iran comments
• US, Turkey plan for 'safe zone' free of IS in northern Syria
• Turkey, U.S. aim for zone cleared of Islamic State in northern Syria
• Turkish bombing of Kurds carries risk of instability
• US, Turkey join forces to drive Islamic State from Syria
• Top officials from anti-ISIS coalition to meet in Canada: sources
• Paramilitary police commander killed in Turkey: hospital source
• Iran Nuke Deal Could Explode in Town Halls in August
• Iraq football pitch blasts kill four: security sources
• In fight against Islamic State, Turkey's Erdogan sees chance to battle Kurds
• UN closes Iraq health programmes for lack of funding
• EU foreign chief in Saudi for talks on Iran, Yemen
• U.S., allies target Islamic State with 26 air strikes in Syria, Iraq
• Syrian 'safe' zone: What does that really mean?
• Turkey vows to press ahead with strikes on Kurdish militants
• At least 16 killed in Boko Haram raids on Lake Chad villages
• NATO holding rare emergency meeting at Turkey's request
• Iraq Shiite chief sees no change in Turkey stance on IS
• PKK 'never respected' peace process: Turkey
• CAIR Urges Scott Walker to Drop Adviser Who Recommended Nuking Muslim Capitals
• Putin, Xi, Rouhani to address annual UN high-level meeting
• Blast damages pro-immigrant German councilor's car
• Turkey 'has not asked' for NATO military help
• Turkey could 'tip Syria balance' as Kurdish villages shelled
• Q&A: Kurds fight Islamic State and endure Turkish attacks
• Turkey accused of shelling Kurdish forces in Syria, muddying anti-IS push
• UK's Cameron says ready to bomb militants in Libya and Syria if plot threat seen
• British PM starts Asia trip with big loan offer to Indonesia
• US, Turkey seek to establish Islamic State-free zone
• Obama Paid a High Price to Get Turkey to Fight ISIS
• The Iran Deal and the Rut of History
• Kurds cut key IS supply route in northern Syria: monitor
• Turkish troops target Kurdish fighters in northern Syria
• Turkey investigating claims it hit forces other than Islamic State in Syria: official
• Kurdish militia says Turkish army fired at its positions inside Syria
• Turkey's Erdogan, Russia's Putin discuss situation in the Middle East

US names new Syria envoy Posted: 27 Jul 2015 05:03 PM PDT The United States named a new special envoy to Syria on Monday, the third since the war began four years ago, as Washington seeks a political solution to the conflict. Michael Ratney, an Arabic speaker who served as US consul general in Jerusalem, and as a diplomat in Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco and Qatar, replaces Daniel Rubinstein. Before Rubinstein, who has been tapped as US ambassador to Tunisia, Robert Ford served in the post.

U.S. Marines see decision soon on F-35 fighter combat-readiness Posted: 27 Jul 2015 04:55 PM PDT The top U.S. Marine Corps aviator on Monday said an initial squadron of 10 Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets met all the requirements for a declaration of combat-readiness during a recent review, and a decision from Marine Corps Commandant General Joseph Dunford was expected soon. Deputy Commandant for Aviation Lieutenant General Jon Davis told a telephone news conference that Dunford was reviewing all the paperwork supporting the decision now. ... I'm not going to rush General Dunford.

Bush denounces 'crazy message of hate' in campaign Posted: 27 Jul 2015 03:33 PM PDT ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — Jeb Bush implored his Republican presidential rivals Monday to reject the "crazy message of hate" that he sees at play in the campaign and cast himself as a "committed conservative," but not an "angry" one, in remarks rooted in Donald Trump's inflammatory rhetoric and the backlash that followed.

Saudi FM slams 'aggressive' Iran comments Posted: 27 Jul 2015 03:02 PM PDT Saudi Arabia's foreign minister on Monday denounced "aggressive statements" by Iran, intensifying the verbal sparring between the regional rivals following a global deal on Tehran's nuclear programme. A day earlier, Iran's foreign ministry spokeswoman accused Saudi ally Bahrain of making "unfounded allegations" to foment "tension in the region", after Bahrain's interior ministry announced the detention of two men accused of trying to smuggle weapons from Iran. "This does not represent the intentions of a country seeking good relations," Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said of the Iranian comments.

US, Turkey plan for 'safe zone' free of IS in northern Syria Posted: 27 Jul 2015 02:50 PM PDT BEIRUT (AP) — Turkey and the United States have agreed on the outlines of a plan to rout the Islamic State group from a strip of Syrian territory along the Turkish border — a plan that opens the possibility of a safe haven for tens of thousands of displaced Syrians but one that also sets up a potential conflict with U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish forces in the area.

Turkey, U.S. aim for zone cleared of Islamic State in northern Syria Posted: 27 Jul 2015 02:46 PM PDT By Nick Tattersall and Phil Stewart ISTANBUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Turkey and the United States are working on plans to provide air cover for Syrian rebels and jointly sweep Islamic State fighters from a strip of land along the Turkish border, bolstering the NATO member's security and possibly providing a safe haven for civilians. Long a reluctant member of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, Turkey last week made a dramatic turnaround by granting the alliance access to its air bases and bombarding targets in Syria linked to the jihadist movement. Struggling with more than 1.8 million Syrian refugees, Turkey has long campaigned for a "no-fly zone" in northern Syria to keep Islamic State and Kurdish militants from its border and help stem the tide of displaced civilians trying to cross.

Turkish bombing of Kurds carries risk of instability Posted: 27 Jul 2015 02:23 PM PDT ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey's unexpected move to launch raids against Kurdish rebels at the same time it is cracking down on the Islamic State group risks ending a period of relative calm and stability for the country that has been a boon for the economy.

US, Turkey join forces to drive Islamic State from Syria Posted: 27 Jul 2015 02:15 PM PDT The US and Turkey have agreed to work together to drive Islamic State (IS) jihadists from northern Syria, senior US officials said Monday, as Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu vowed to press ahead with parallel strikes against Kurdish militants. The potentially game-changing accord with the US was revealed as Turkey fuelled the growing anger of its Kurdish minority by shelling a Kurdish-held village in northern Syria while its warplanes continued to pound Kurdish targets in northern Iraq. Details of the zone "remain to be worked out", the official, who asked not to be named, said during a visit by President Barack Obama to Ethiopia, while adding that "any joint military efforts will not include the imposition of a no-fly zone" -- a long standing Turkish demand.

Top officials from anti-ISIS coalition to meet in Canada: sources Posted: 27 Jul 2015 02:11 PM PDT By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) - Senior officials from the U.S.-led coalition battling Islamic State forces will meet in Canada this week to discuss how to improve the effectiveness of the campaign, two sources with knowledge of the meeting said on Monday. Turkey and the United States are now working on plans to jointly sweep Islamic State fighters from a strip of land along the Turkish border. The Quebec City meeting of the so-called anti-ISIS Coalition Small Group will focus on all aspects of the struggle against ISIS, both military and political, the two sources said.

Paramilitary police commander killed in Turkey: hospital source Posted: 27 Jul 2015 02:08 PM PDT Gunmen in a predominantly Kurdish part of eastern Turkey shot dead a paramilitary police commander late on Monday, a hospital source said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the killing in Mus province but suspicions fell on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has claimed several attacks on Turkish security forces over the past few days. Ankara has expanded its cross-border offensive on Islamic State jihadists in Syria to include PKK positions in northern Iraq, after deadly attacks inside Turkey blamed on the Kurdish separatists.

Iran Nuke Deal Could Explode in Town Halls in August Posted: 27 Jul 2015 01:11 PM PDT Congressional lawmakers face at least another week of arm twisting by the Obama administration over the Iran nuclear deal, but some are already looking to the month-long August recess to gin up support for and against the agreement. Outside groups, such as the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), are putting together multi-million ad campaigns with the aim to sway public opinion. Together, the various efforts resemble the debate that dominated the summer of 2009, when President Obama's controversial healthcare law was headed toward a vote that fall.

Iraq football pitch blasts kill four: security sources Posted: 27 Jul 2015 12:08 PM PDT Bombs went off during a local football game in Iraq's restive Diyala province on Monday, killing at least four people, security officials said. "Three improvised explosive devices went off during the final of a local amateur cup" in Abu Saida, about 75 kilometres (45 miles) northeast of Baghdad, a colonel in the provincial operations command told AFP. Provincial council member Ahmed Rubaye and hospital sources in the governorate's capital Baquba said at least 10 people were also wounded in the attack.

In fight against Islamic State, Turkey's Erdogan sees chance to battle Kurds Posted: 27 Jul 2015 11:49 AM PDT By David Dolan and Nick Tattersall ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Forced into battle against Islamic State as it presses on Turkey's borders, President Tayyip Erdogan is seizing the chance to keep another foe in check, bombing Kurdish militants he sees as a threat to the integrity of the Turkish state. Casting the operations as a war on terrorist groups "without distinction", Turkey launched air strikes against Islamic State in Syria for the first time last week and granted the U.S.-led coalition access to its air bases after years of reluctance. Hundreds of suspected Islamic State and PKK members have been rounded up in raids across Turkey.

UN closes Iraq health programmes for lack of funding Posted: 27 Jul 2015 11:34 AM PDT The United Nations has suspended health programmes reaching a million people across Iraq because of massive under-funding, it said on Monday. The UN said in a statement that "184 front line health services have been suspended because of the paralysing funding shortfall for humanitarian activities in Iraq". "More than 80 percent of general health programmes supported by humanitarian partners are now shut, directly impacting one million people," it said.

EU foreign chief in Saudi for talks on Iran, Yemen Posted: 27 Jul 2015 11:28 AM PDT EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini held talks in Saudi Arabia Monday to explain the agreement she helped broker on Iran's nuclear programme, and to push for an end to Yemen's war. Mogherini met with Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in the latest visit by a top Western official aimed at easing Saudi concerns over the deal with its regional rival. The European Union played a leading role in years of talks between Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States, Germany and Iran.

U.S., allies target Islamic State with 26 air strikes in Syria, Iraq Posted: 27 Jul 2015 11:27 AM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and its allies staged 26 air strikes against Islamic State forces in Syria and Iraq on Sunday, the coalition leading the military operation said in a statement on Monday. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 13 air strikes using fighter, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft to hit targets near Al Hasakah, Aleppo and Kobani, according to the statement. In Iraq, the strikes hit multiple Islamic State targets near eight cities, including Mosul, Sinjar and Tal Afar, according to the statement. (Reporting by Sandra Maler; Editing by Will Dunham)

Syrian 'safe' zone: What does that really mean? Posted: 27 Jul 2015 11:23 AM PDT The United States and Turkey, who are NATO allies, appear to finally be on the same page when it comes to fighting the self-styled Islamic State. Following an IS massacre of 32 ethnic Kurds on the Turkish side of the Syrian border last week, Ankara carried out a round of arrests of IS militants inside the country, began airstrikes against IS targets inside Syria, and at long last opened up its Incirlik air base to US warplanes, which will give pilots substantially more time over targets. Turkey continues to see the removal of Syria's Bashar al-Assad from power as a greater priority than fighting IS.

Turkey vows to press ahead with strikes on Kurdish militants Posted: 27 Jul 2015 11:16 AM PDT Turkey on Monday said it would press ahead with military operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) until the group disarmed. "We will continue our fight... until we obtain a certain result," Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told ATV television channel, urging the group, which has waged a decades-long insurgency in southeastern Turkey, to deliver on its 2013 promise to lay down arms. Turkey, which considers the PKK a terrorist organisation, launched peace negotiations with the group's jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan in 2012, but the two sides have yet to reach an accord.

At least 16 killed in Boko Haram raids on Lake Chad villages Posted: 27 Jul 2015 11:06 AM PDT N'DJAMENA (Reuters) - At least 13 suspected Boko Haram militants and three civilians were killed in separate attacks over the weekend after the insurgents raided several remote localities around Lake Chad, Chadian security sources said on Monday. The hostages were taken onboard four speedboats to an unknown destination, one of the security source said, asking not to be named. Boko Haram, which calls itself the Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP) since pledging allegiance to the militant group that controls large areas of Syria and Iraq, is fighting to establish an emirate in northeast Nigeria.

NATO holding rare emergency meeting at Turkey's request Posted: 27 Jul 2015 10:45 AM PDT BRUSSELS (AP) — For just the fifth time in its 66-year history, NATO ambassadors will meet in emergency session Tuesday to gauge the threat the Islamic State extremist group poses to Turkey, and the debated actions Turkish authorities are taking in response.

Iraq Shiite chief sees no change in Turkey stance on IS Posted: 27 Jul 2015 10:42 AM PDT Hadi al-Ameri, a top leader of Iraq's powerful Shiite paramilitaries, argued Monday there was no evidence Turkey had changed its position on the Islamic State jihadist group. "I think (the strikes) Turkey carried out were to support to Daesh (IS) and not what some had imagined," said Ameri, a top leader of the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) force. Ameri was speaking after a meeting in Baghdad between Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

PKK 'never respected' peace process: Turkey Posted: 27 Jul 2015 09:51 AM PDT Turkey's foreign minister said Monday that Kurdish rebels "never respected" the peace process with Ankara, with a ceasefire now in tatters after a series of attacks and cross-border offensives. Militants from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) -- who have waged a decades-long insurgency in southeastern Turkey -- "never ended their terrorist acts", Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a visit to Lisbon. "We never said that the process of peace negotiations was over.

CAIR Urges Scott Walker to Drop Adviser Who Recommended Nuking Muslim Capitals Posted: 27 Jul 2015 08:47 AM PDT WASHINGTON, July 27, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization, today called on Republican presidential candidate Gov. Scott Walker (WI) to drop a foreign policy adviser who once recommended using nuclear weapons on a number of Muslim-majority nations and for the deportation of undocumented immigrants "of Middle Eastern descent. ...

Putin, Xi, Rouhani to address annual UN high-level meeting Posted: 27 Jul 2015 07:52 AM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The presidents of China, Russia, Iran and the United States are scheduled to speak at the 70th annual U.N. General Assembly of world leaders in September — a rare appearance for Russian President Vladimir Putin and the first for Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Blast damages pro-immigrant German councilor's car Posted: 27 Jul 2015 07:32 AM PDT BERLIN (AP) — German police said Monday they were investigating an early-morning explosion that damaged the car of a left-wing politician who had been working in support of refugees in a Dresden suburb that has seen anti-immigrant demonstrations.

Turkey 'has not asked' for NATO military help Posted: 27 Jul 2015 06:16 AM PDT Turkey has not asked for substantial military help from NATO in its campaign against the Islamic State group and Kurdish militants, the alliance's chief said ahead of a emergency meeting to discuss the fighting. Jens Stoltenberg also warned Turkey that its bombing campaign could endanger the progress that has been made in recent years towards reaching a peace deal with Kurdish militants. NATO ambassadors are due to meet on Tuesday at Ankara's request to discuss the spike of violence between Turkey, Islamic State jihadists and Kurdish militants.

Turkey could 'tip Syria balance' as Kurdish villages shelled Posted: 27 Jul 2015 06:10 AM PDT Turkish tanks shelled Kurdish-held villages in northern Syria as Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu warned Monday that a military campaign by Ankara could "change the balance" in the region. With its warplanes hitting Kurdish targets in neighbouring northern Iraq again on Sunday, Turkey also called an extraordinary NATO meeting for Tuesday over its cross-border "anti-terror" offensive against Kurdish separatists and Islamic State jihadists. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg defended Turkey's right to defend itself but told the BBC "of course self-defence has to be proportionate".

Q&A: Kurds fight Islamic State and endure Turkish attacks Posted: 27 Jul 2015 05:45 AM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — U.S. and Turkish plans to create an "Islamic State-free zone" in Syria along the Turkish border could escalate the conflict between Turkey and Kurdish fighters in Syria and Iraq.

Turkey accused of shelling Kurdish forces in Syria, muddying anti-IS push Posted: 27 Jul 2015 05:44 AM PDT Kurdish forces in Syria have claimed that a town they hold against the Islamic State has been shelled by Turkey. According to a statement from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), its positions in Zur Maghar came under "heavy tank fire" from Turkey, reports Agence France-Presse. The barrage wounded four members of an allied rebel force in the town, which consists of both YPG and allied Arab units, as well as several villagers.

UK's Cameron says ready to bomb militants in Libya and Syria if plot threat seen Posted: 27 Jul 2015 05:26 AM PDT By Gayatri Suroyo and Andrew Osborn JAKARTA/LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday he was ready to order air strikes on Islamist militant targets in Libya and Syria to prevent attacks on the streets of Britain as he stepped up his rhetoric against Islamic State insurgents. "If there is a threat to Britain or to our people on our streets ... we are able to stop it by taking immediate action against that threat," said Cameron. "As prime minister, I would always want to try and take that action, and that's the case whether that problem is emanating from Libya or Syria or anywhere else." Britain raised its domestic terrorism alert to the second-highest level in August last year, saying an attack was "highly likely".

British PM starts Asia trip with big loan offer to Indonesia Posted: 27 Jul 2015 05:20 AM PDT British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday his government would make available loans of up to 1 billion pounds to Indonesia to help finance infrastructure projects. Indonesia is Cameron's first stop on a four-day trade mission to Southeast Asia to spur lucrative business deals and to forge new political alliances to counter Islamist extremism. The British government said the financing for Southeast Asia's largest economy could pave the way for 200 million pounds worth of Indonesian exports to Britain.

US, Turkey seek to establish Islamic State-free zone Posted: 27 Jul 2015 03:27 AM PDT ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — The United States and Turkey are finalizing plans for a military campaign to push the Islamic State out of a strip of land along the Syrian border, deepening efforts to halt the extremists' advances.

Obama Paid a High Price to Get Turkey to Fight ISIS Posted: 27 Jul 2015 03:15 AM PDT The war against the Islamic State just widened to include Turkey as a combatant. The Obama administration has long tried to persuade the Islamic government of RecipTayip Erdoğan to get into the fray, but the vital question still needs to be asked: Is this "game-changer," as one U.S. official calls it, a good thing or a bad thing? There is no question that ISIS threatens everyone, including most Muslims, and is now destabilizing Turkey's southern provinces.

The Iran Deal and the Rut of History Posted: 27 Jul 2015 03:07 AM PDT "The president said many times he's willing to step out of the rut of history." In this way Ben Rhodes of the White House, who over the years has broken new ground in the grandiosity of presidential apologetics, described the courage of Barack Obama in concluding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with the Islamic Republic of Iran, otherwise known as the Iran deal. Once again Rhodes has, perhaps inadvertently, exposed the president's premises more clearly than the president likes to do. The rut of history: It is a phrase worth pondering. ...

Kurds cut key IS supply route in northern Syria: monitor Posted: 27 Jul 2015 02:44 AM PDT Kurdish fighters seized a key town in northern Syria from the Islamic State group on Monday, cutting a supply lifeline from the jihadists' de facto Syrian capital, a monitor said. "The Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) took full control of Sarrin on Monday after three weeks of intense clashes," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Sarrin lies along the M4 highway, which IS uses to transport fighters and supplies between Aleppo province and the group's de facto Syrian capital of Raqa in the east, Abdel Rahman said.

Turkish troops target Kurdish fighters in northern Syria Posted: 27 Jul 2015 02:30 AM PDT BEIRUT (AP) — Turkish troops have shelled a Syrian village near the border, targeting Kurdish fighters who have been battling the Islamic State group with the aid of U.S.-led airstrikes, Syria's main Kurdish militia and an activist group said Monday.

Turkey investigating claims it hit forces other than Islamic State in Syria: official Posted: 27 Jul 2015 01:46 AM PDT Turkey is investigating claims that its military struck positions in Syria other than those of Islamic State insurgents, a government official said on Monday, after the Kurdish YPG militia said it had come under attack. "The ongoing military operation seeks to neutralize imminent threats to Turkey's national security and continues to target Islamic State in Syria and the PKK in Iraq," the official said.

Kurdish militia says Turkish army fired at its positions inside Syria Posted: 27 Jul 2015 01:03 AM PDT The Kurdish YPG militia said the Turkish army shelled its positions in a village on the outskirts of the Islamic State-held border town of Jarablus in northern Syria and urged Ankara to halt attacks on its forces. Several tank rounds from across the border hit its positions and the Turkish army was targeting them instead of the "terrorists", a YPG statement said. The statement also said a YPG vehicle came under heavy fire from the Turkish military in a village east of the devastated border city of Kobani.

Turkey's Erdogan, Russia's Putin discuss situation in the Middle East Posted: 26 Jul 2015 10:57 PM PDT MOSCOW (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the situation in the Middle East, especially in Syria and Iraq, and better cooperation in fighting Islamic State, the Kremlin said late on Sunday. During a telephone conversation, both sides stressed that all interested states should boost efforts to successfully combat the spread of terrorism and extremism, the Kremlin said in a statement. ...

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