Brit Jihadi Film Leaves Family 'Heartbroken'

Faith Lost In Iraq PM Amid Political Limbo

Updated: 5:46pm UK, Friday 20 June 2014

By Sam Kiley, Foreign Affairs Editor, in Baghdad

The US President, Shia politicians, Sunni chieftans and none other than the Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani has joined the clamour for Iraq's Prime Minister to move fast and form a government.

The nation has languished since elections on April 30 in a political limbo that arguably undermined faith in the central government, even among the Shia-dominated armed forces.

That might, partly, explain their rapid collapse in the face of far fewer forces from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) plus their allies.

But now that Iraq's supreme court has ratified the results of the elections what possible reason could Nouri al Maliki have for delay?

One explanation may simply be political.

His stewardship over previous years has entrenched sectarian divisions and seen an explosion in corruption.

His party bloc won 92 of the 328 seats in Iraq's parliament and he'll need 165 to form a coalition administration.

He, therefore, has to get involved in some serious horse trading with other Shia parties to build his coalition.

But they are now losing faith in him. Particularly in his apparent refusal to reach out to Sunni parties and offer them stakes in the central government - such as a security portfolio and a ministry which would give them access to patronage systems such as an education or public works - so that they feel both secure and that they have an investment in the future political structures.

A more conspiratorial thesis, fuelled by the conspiratorial utterances of lame duck ministers left over from the previous administration, is that Iraq's latest travails are the fault of external forces.

Jordan, Saudi Arabia (both Sunni countries), the US and others are being blamed for manipulating the Middle East and somehow creating ISIS.

There is evidence of Saudi individual, and possible state funding, for extremist militant groups in Syria, which may include ISIS.

And Jordan has played a significant role in trying to boost the fortunes of the non-extremist Free Syrian Army.

But Mr al Maliki may have calculated that he can either weather the latest storm - or let ISIS form an impoverished caliphate in the desert north of his country which would leave the Shia with Baghdad and the south.

It's the south, after all, that holds the lion's share of the world's second largest oil reserves.

It can ship its oil out through the Gulf, via Kuwait, or via Iran.

A Shia state or semi-state would not only be self-sufficient - it would be spared the burden of sharing Iraq's spoils with other sectarian groups like the Sunni and the Kurds (who already have their own autonomy and oil industry).

Such a move, or allowing events to drift to this reality, would place the south of Iraq firmly inside Iran's imperial embrace.

That is not something that Saudi Arabia would be able to tolerate in the long term as it vies with Iran for influence in the Middle East.

Nor is it anything that a rump Sunni 'caliphate' would be able to live with - the extremists within it would forever plot how to steal it back by force.

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Rooney's Facebook Apology After World Cup Exit

England footballer Wayne Rooney has said sorry to fans for the team's dismal World Cup showing, admitting: "It hasn't worked out."

The striker's Facebook apology came after Costa Rica beat Italy to guarantee an early exit for Roy Hodgson's squad.

The collapse of their World Cup campaign just eight days into the tournament followed 2-1 defeats to both Italy and Uruguay.

It is the first time the national side has failed to make the tournament's knockout stage since 1958.

Rooney, who is back at England's hotel in Rio de Janeiro preparing for a Costa Rica clash that will ultimately count for nothing, told his 21 million Facebook fans he was "absolutely devastated" to be leaving Brazil early.

"Going into each game we had great belief in ourselves but unfortunately it hasn't worked out," the Manchester United star wrote, his disappointment despite scoring his first ever World Cup goal all too evident.

"Sorry to all the fans that travelled and at home that we haven't done better. Gutted."

Rooney slots past Uruguay's Fernando Muslera for his first World Cup goal

Rooney has been criticised by some England supporters who expected more from one of the squad's most experienced players.

But he was backed by many fans on Facebook and by his Manchester United team-mate Robin van Persie, who said: "I don't think you can blame him for scoring one goal, working his socks off and missing three chances by inches."

The Netherlands captain added: "He gave his all for his country, like he always does. He's a great player, a great goal scorer, so I don't think it's fair on him to criticise him that much."

Rooney and his England team-mates' celebrations were short-lived

Earlier, FA chairman Greg Dyke said Hodgson would keep his job as England manager until 2016, when the team are due to play their next major tournament.

Drawn against Switzerland, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania and San Marino for the Euro 2016 qualifiers which start in September, England have been given a favourable route to the finals in France.

Mr Dyke said Hodgson remained the right man for the task, telling Sky Sports News: "He came to do a four-year cycle.

Hodgson has already said he will not resign as England manager

"People have been asking the question: 'Will he stay?' Well, the answer is yes."

As well as Rooney, other England players have expressed their regret at the team's World Cup failure.

Striker Daniel Sturridge said he felt "sick" and "heartbroken", while captain Steven Gerrard added: "We maybe should have accepted that going for a point (against Uruguay) might have been the best option."

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Iraq Forces 'Retake' Oil Refinery From ISIS

Iraqi forces have regained full control of the country's biggest oil refinery after heavy fighting with Sunni militants attempting to seize it, the authorities claim.

A refinery employee and witnesses said the insurgents led by the jihadist Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) had withdrawn from the sprawling Baiji complex after losing 100 fighters as troops and helicopter gunships repelled repeated attacks, according to the Iraqi military.

The retaking of the plant, north of Baghdad, comes amid calls for the Iraqi prime minister Nouri al Maliki to quit as a condition of US help in driving back insurgents who have seized large swathes of the country.

A member of the Iraqi security forces guards volunteer fighters in Baghdad

The administration of Mr al Malaki has requested that America launch airstrikes against the ISIS extremists, whose lightning offensive in the north of the country - including the capture of the city of Mosul - saw the US-bankrolled military crumble.

Speaking at the White House, Barack Obama said the US would be prepared to take targeted military action but that American troops would not return to combat in Iraq.

The president said additional equipment and up to 300 additional military advisers could be provided to help fight the ISIS insurgency.

Mr Obama said it was not for the US to choose Iraq's leaders, but delivered a clear message to Mr al Malaki when he said only leaders "with an inclusive agenda" could lead the country through the crisis.

David Petraeus has warned over the risks of the US providing air support

Earlier, in an interview with Sky News, Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen warned that the government in Baghdad risked splitting the country unless it reached out to all groups.

Speaking in London alongside Mr Rasmussen, David Cameron said there is "no doubt" the Baghdad government has not done enough to heal sectarian divides.

The Prime Minister reiterated that he is taking the threat from British fighters who may join ISIS and later target the UK for terror attacks "extremely seriously".

The advance of ISIS - an al Qaeda breakaway group - has only been slowed by a regrouped army, Shia militias and volunteers, who have signed up to join the battle against the militants. 

The oil refinery at Baiji has been the scene of fierce fighting

ISIS has seized a chemical weapons facility built by Saddam Hussein, which contains a stockpile of old weapons, according to the Wall Street Journal.

But US officials are reportedly confident that any weapons stored at the Al Muthanna complex - which has not been in active use for years - are not usable.

A potential obstacle to greater US military involvement is Mr al Maliki, with several leading figures in Congress from across the political divide speaking out against the premier and calling for him to quit.

Dianne Feinstein, the Democrat chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said: "The Maliki government, candidly, has got to go if you want any reconciliation."

ISIS militants claim to have captured an airbase in Tal Afar

Republican senator John McCain backed military support but urged Mr Obama to "make it make very clear to Maliki that his time is up".

And General David Petraeus, who led the US troop surge ahead of America pulling out of Iraq, says there should not even be air support without major change in Baghdad.

The former CIA chief warned Washington risked becoming an "air force for Shiite militias", if it agreed to the request for support.

But a spokesman for Mr al Maliki said the PM will not step down, insisting his administration was inclusive, with Sunni Muslims represented in key roles.

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England On The Brink Of World Cup Elimination

England's chances of reaching the knockout stage of the World Cup are "unbelievably slim" following a 2-1 defeat to Uruguay, manager Roy Hodgson has said.

Two goals from Luis Suarez, who started for Uruguay after returning from knee surgery, meant defeat for England in the crucial Group D match.

A disappointed Hodgson said his team controlled Suarez for much of the game, only for the Liverpool player to produce two moments of ruthlessness to give Uruguay the win.

"Our chances are unbelievably slim," he said.

Luis Suarez heads the ball past England goalkeeper Joe Hart

"We depend on Italy winning their next two matches and us beating Costa Rica by the requisite number of goals. To continue, we needed a result today. We needed a victory and we didn't get it.

"I think that in both games we've shown some elements of playing some good football and we've shown we are a team making progress.

"But results decide everything and both results have been negative."

Uruguay took the lead in the 38th minute as Suarez scored from a header. England's goal came in the 75th minute when Glen Johnson sent the ball across goal for Wayne Rooney to score.

England fans in the stands at Itaquerao Stadium in Sao Paulo

But Uruguay quickly struck back with another Suarez goal in the 84th minute, before holding on to take victory.

Speaking from Sao Paulo, Sky's Paul Kelso said the defeat is likely to spell the end of England's World Cup campaign.

"The bottom line, having watched both those performances, is that ultimately they just haven't been good enough," he said.

"They've played with a good amount of spirit and attacking purpose, but faced with teams of the quality of Italy and Uruguay they simply haven't had the players to match them."

The match is crucial for both Group D teams

Both England and Uruguay lost their opening World Cup matches, with Roy Hodgson's men going down 2-1 to Italy in Manaus.

This second defeat all but ends England's hopes of reaching the knockout stage.

The team's chances now rest upon Italy beating both Costa Rica and Uruguay. England will then need to defeat Costa Rica next week to stay in the running.

Hodgson's starting line-up was unchanged from the side which took the field on Saturday, although Wayne Rooney was deployed in a central role.

Roy Hodgson expressed his confidence in the team ahead of the match

It came after 10 England fans were attacked in Sao Paulo ahead of the game, with a group of people wearing hoods and dark clothing throwing fireworks at the England supporters.

Local shops and a bus were also damaged as the attackers threw glass bottles at the group.

Police arrested 14 people following the attack, which occurred hours before kick off. No British nationals are believed to have been injured in the attack.

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PM Warns Iraq Terrorists Will 'Hit UK At Home'

Timeline: How The Iraq Crisis Unfolded

Updated: 2:12pm UK, Tuesday 17 June 2014

A look back at the main events in the Iraq crisis, which has seen Sunni insurgents from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group move to within 50 miles of the capital Baghdad.

December 2011: US troops complete their withdrawal after the 2003 invasion which led to the removal of Saddam Hussein.

August 2013: More than 70 people are killed in attacks at the end of Ramadan. ISIS claim responsibility.

January 2-4, 2014: ISIS declares itself in control of the western city of Fallujah and parts of Ramadi following clashes sparked by the clearing of a Sunni-Arab protest camp.

February: al Qaeda formally disowns ISIS, which was at one time an affiliate, because of its extreme methods.

April: Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki wins the most seats in a general election.

June 10: ISIS seizes all of Nineveh province in the north, including the capital Mosul - Iraq's second city. Mr Maliki asks parliament to declare a state of emergency.

June 11: The militants launch a wave of attacks further south, taking Tikrit and freeing hundreds of prisoners in Baiji. An assault on Samarra, 70 miles (110km) north of Baghdad, is repelled by security forces.

June 12: Iraq's air force strikes fighters' positions near Mosul and Tikrit.

US President Barack Obama says he is looking at "all the options" to help the government, which fails to secure authorisation for a state of emergency.

The army abandons its bases in Kirkuk, leaving Kurdish Peshmerga troops to take control.

June 13: A top Shia cleric issues a call to arms, telling the population to take up arms and defend their country.

Mr Maliki claims government forces have started to clear cities of "terrorists" and implements an emergency plan to protect Baghdad.

President Obama rules out sending back troops to fight ISIS.

The rebels move into the towns of Saadiyah and Jalawla in eastern province of Diyala.

June 14: Iran offers to work with the US to tackle the crisis, as Britain pledges an initial £3m in emergency aid to help refugees fleeing the violence.

The Iraqi army's fightback continues, with forces retaking the towns of Ishaqi, al-Mutasim and Duluiyah in Salaheddin province.

Troops also regain much of Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's home town.

US aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush is ordered to the Persian Gulf.

June 15: Photos emerge appearing to show an ISIS massacre of 1,700 captured government soldiers. Baghdad says number is exaggerated.

Reports say militants have overrun Tal Afar, the largest town in Nineveh province.

A bombing in central Baghdad leaves 15 people dead and dozens injured.

Former PM Tony Blair tells Sky News that critics who believe the violence is the result of the 2003 invasion are "profoundly mistaken".

June 16: Video footage purporting to show an ISIS fighter questioning and killing unarmed Iraqi soldiers draws condemnation.

ISIS takes control of Tal Afar and the al Adhim area of Diyala province.

US Secretary of State John Kerry says Washington is "open to discussions with Iran".

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ISIS Militants 'Will Be Used To Target UK'

Timeline: How The Iraq Crisis Unfolded

Updated: 2:12pm UK, Tuesday 17 June 2014

A look back at the main events in the Iraq crisis, which has seen Sunni insurgents from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group move to within 50 miles of the capital Baghdad.

December 2011: US troops complete their withdrawal after the 2003 invasion which led to the removal of Saddam Hussein.

August 2013: More than 70 people are killed in attacks at the end of Ramadan. ISIS claim responsibility.

January 2-4, 2014: ISIS declares itself in control of the western city of Fallujah and parts of Ramadi following clashes sparked by the clearing of a Sunni-Arab protest camp.

February: al Qaeda formally disowns ISIS, which was at one time an affiliate, because of its extreme methods.

April: Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki wins the most seats in a general election.

June 10: ISIS seizes all of Nineveh province in the north, including the capital Mosul - Iraq's second city. Mr Maliki asks parliament to declare a state of emergency.

June 11: The militants launch a wave of attacks further south, taking Tikrit and freeing hundreds of prisoners in Baiji. An assault on Samarra, 70 miles (110km) north of Baghdad, is repelled by security forces.

June 12: Iraq's air force strikes fighters' positions near Mosul and Tikrit.

US President Barack Obama says he is looking at "all the options" to help the government, which fails to secure authorisation for a state of emergency.

The army abandons its bases in Kirkuk, leaving Kurdish Peshmerga troops to take control.

June 13: A top Shia cleric issues a call to arms, telling the population to take up arms and defend their country.

Mr Maliki claims government forces have started to clear cities of "terrorists" and implements an emergency plan to protect Baghdad.

President Obama rules out sending back troops to fight ISIS.

The rebels move into the towns of Saadiyah and Jalawla in eastern province of Diyala.

June 14: Iran offers to work with the US to tackle the crisis, as Britain pledges an initial £3m in emergency aid to help refugees fleeing the violence.

The Iraqi army's fightback continues, with forces retaking the towns of Ishaqi, al-Mutasim and Duluiyah in Salaheddin province.

Troops also regain much of Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's home town.

US aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush is ordered to the Persian Gulf.

June 15: Photos emerge appearing to show an ISIS massacre of 1,700 captured government soldiers. Baghdad says number is exaggerated.

Reports say militants have overrun Tal Afar, the largest town in Nineveh province.

A bombing in central Baghdad leaves 15 people dead and dozens injured.

Former PM Tony Blair tells Sky News that critics who believe the violence is the result of the 2003 invasion are "profoundly mistaken".

June 16: Video footage purporting to show an ISIS fighter questioning and killing unarmed Iraqi soldiers draws condemnation.

ISIS takes control of Tal Afar and the al Adhim area of Diyala province.

US Secretary of State John Kerry says Washington is "open to discussions with Iran".

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Iraq Accuses Saudi Arabia Of Promoting 'Genocide'

Timeline: How The Iraq Crisis Unfolded

Updated: 2:12pm UK, Tuesday 17 June 2014

A look back at the main events in the Iraq crisis, which has seen Sunni insurgents from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group move to within 50 miles of the capital Baghdad.

December 2011: US troops complete their withdrawal after the 2003 invasion which led to the removal of Saddam Hussein.

August 2013: More than 70 people are killed in attacks at the end of Ramadan. ISIS claim responsibility.

January 2-4, 2014: ISIS declares itself in control of the western city of Fallujah and parts of Ramadi following clashes sparked by the clearing of a Sunni-Arab protest camp.

February: al Qaeda formally disowns ISIS, which was at one time an affiliate, because of its extreme methods.

April: Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki wins the most seats in a general election.

June 10: ISIS seizes all of Nineveh province in the north, including the capital Mosul - Iraq's second city. Mr Maliki asks parliament to declare a state of emergency.

June 11: The militants launch a wave of attacks further south, taking Tikrit and freeing hundreds of prisoners in Baiji. An assault on Samarra, 70 miles (110km) north of Baghdad, is repelled by security forces.

June 12: Iraq's air force strikes fighters' positions near Mosul and Tikrit.

US President Barack Obama says he is looking at "all the options" to help the government, which fails to secure authorisation for a state of emergency.

The army abandons its bases in Kirkuk, leaving Kurdish Peshmerga troops to take control.

June 13: A top Shia cleric issues a call to arms, telling the population to take up arms and defend their country.

Mr Maliki claims government forces have started to clear cities of "terrorists" and implements an emergency plan to protect Baghdad.

President Obama rules out sending back troops to fight ISIS.

The rebels move into the towns of Saadiyah and Jalawla in eastern province of Diyala.

June 14: Iran offers to work with the US to tackle the crisis, as Britain pledges an initial £3m in emergency aid to help refugees fleeing the violence.

The Iraqi army's fightback continues, with forces retaking the towns of Ishaqi, al-Mutasim and Duluiyah in Salaheddin province.

Troops also regain much of Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's home town.

US aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush is ordered to the Persian Gulf.

June 15: Photos emerge appearing to show an ISIS massacre of 1,700 captured government soldiers. Baghdad says number is exaggerated.

Reports say militants have overrun Tal Afar, the largest town in Nineveh province.

A bombing in central Baghdad leaves 15 people dead and dozens injured.

Former PM Tony Blair tells Sky News that critics who believe the violence is the result of the 2003 invasion are "profoundly mistaken".

June 16: Video footage purporting to show an ISIS fighter questioning and killing unarmed Iraqi soldiers draws condemnation.

ISIS takes control of Tal Afar and the al Adhim area of Diyala province.

US Secretary of State John Kerry says Washington is "open to discussions with Iran".

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Kurdish Peshmerga Lead Fightback Against ISIS

The Kurdish peshmerga have had enough of ISIS on their land and are determined to drive them out.

From the cover of mud trenches they fire at Isis positions 100 metres or so away. This is the ISIS perimeter defence of Jalula town.

It is old-style fighting. Man replacing man on the barricade as they run out of ammunition. There is a constant barrage from both sides.

Taking cover, commanders bark orders; repositioning their men as ISIS try to out manoeuvre and outflank them.

The first proper offensive on ISIS in Iraq is under way.

Rockets, artillery and heavy machine guns pound Isis positions from strategic ridge lines.

The Kurds are softening them up but these are hardcore ISIS fighters and include Chechens, Saudis and Qataris, according to the Kurds.

As rockets blast out and the air zings with incoming fire the head of the region's anti-terror brigade tells me that the peshmerga have no choice but to attack.

It has been described as the first major offensive against ISIS

Lahoor Talibani said: "We gave the tribe who allowed them in a chance to push them out but they did not take it.

"ISIS are well organised and we cannot allow them here."

A short distance from the front line the brigade commander stalked into the midst of hundreds of his peshmerga soldiers saying he had been lied to and that the offensive inside the heart of Jalula must begin.

Dozens of vehicles gunned their engines and soldiers mounted their trucks and lorries to drive into town along roads under fire from ISIS snipers on both sides.

This is the next phase of the fight. Urban warfare is the most dangerous but in a thousand-year-old town like Jalula with narrow streets and ancient passage ways, it is a nightmare.

There is fighting everywhere; sometimes just metres away. The whole town echoes as rocket propelled grenades, small arms, heavy machine guns and mortars smash into buildings.

In towns you can rarely see who is where. It is very frightening.

The Kurds cheer as a truck passes loaded with the dead bodies of ISIS fighters.

Down an alleyway a man holds his hands up as he walks towards the Kurds. But he has come from enemy positions.

He is led away at gunpoint as another soldier fires warning shots to deter ISIS sniper fire.

Now every crossroad, every uncovered passageway is dangerous. You run between the barricaded areas.

Families trying to escape on foot hold hands as they cross the constantly changing battle lines.

As the battle intensifies the Kurds up the ante and deploy tanks around the ISIS positions firing deafening volleys to the cheers of the peshmerga.

They are determined to win here and clear other towns taken by ISIS. There is a lot more fighting to come.

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Captured Iraqi Soldiers 'Lined Up And Shot'

Footage has emerged which appears to show a fighter from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) questioning and killing unarmed Iraqi soldiers.

Clashes are continuing between the Sunni insurgents, who seized large swathes of territory in the past week, and security forces in several areas, including west of Baghdad where an army helicopter was shot down.

The two-man crew was killed in the attack near the city of Fallujah which has been under the control of the militants since January.

At the weekend, ISIS fighters released graphic pictures purporting to show some of the 1,700 Shia soldiers they claim they have shot dead near Tikrit.

Two of the soldiers ISIS apparently captured

The UN has condemned the "cold-blooded" killings, saying it appeared "hundreds of non-combatant men were summarily executed".

According to a translation of the footage, militants order their prisoners to chant the ISIS slogan "Baqiya", which is thought to mean "(ISIS) will remain in existence" or "Islamic state will stay".

When asked where the government forces are, a soldier replies they have left.

The fighters then threaten to chop off the head of one of the soldiers, who are lined up on the ground.

Militants have posted images purportedly showing the massacre of soldiers

The footage appears to have spurred on decisive action from the United States to bring the crisis to a halt.

America has sent another warship into the Persian Gulf to join several of its warships already poised for action, and it is not ruling out US drone strikes, saying they "may well" also be an option.

The earlier ISIS images posted online showed the Sunni insurgents loading captives on to flatbed trucks, forcing them to lie face-down in a ditch with their arms tied behind their backs before they were shot dead.

The militants, who have threatened to march on the capital, claimed to have captured 2,500 soldiers, although that number has not been confirmed

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said: "It appears hundreds of non-combatant men were summarily executed over the past five days, including surrendered or captured soldiers, military conscripts, police and others associated with the government.

"Although the numbers cannot be verified yet, this apparently systematic series of cold-blooded executions, mostly conducted in various locations in the Tikrit area, almost certainly amounts to war crimes."

Chief Iraqi military spokesman, Lieutenant General Qassim al Moussawi, confirmed the authenticity of the earlier pictures and said he was aware of cases of mass murder of captured soldiers in areas held by ISIS.

But he added an examination of the images by experts showed that approximately 170 soldiers were shot dead, not the 1,700 ISIS had claimed.

The US condemned the "bloodlust" of ISIS after the pictures emerged and Sky's Diplomatic Editor Tim Marshall said the release of the images means the militants have "got the attention of the world".

Peshmerga soldiers on patrol in northern Iraq

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki has vowed to recapture the territory seized by the insurgents last week.

Fighters have swept through towns and cities along the Tigris, but have since halted around an hour's drive north of the capital, Baghdad.

In the latest fighting, residents of the northern town of Tal Afar said ISIS had taken control after a dawn raid.

Militants have also seized the Al-Adhim area in Diyala province, north of Baghdad.

Iraq's army is holding out in Samarra, which has been the subject of numerous attacks by militants.

Security in Baghdad has been tightened, but despite this three explosions left at least 15 people dead and dozens injured.

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Fleeing ISIS: Iraqis Tell Of Loss And Tragedy

By Sherine Tadros, Middle East Correspondent

Dozens of Iraqi families who escaped the fighting in Mosul have made their way to a newly-built refugee camp in the northern area of Dohuk.

They are homeless and have nowhere to go.

"Ahmed" was an officer in the Iraqi police force. We've had to change his name because he's afraid he will be targeted again by ISIS militants.

He had just got to the camp with his family when we met him.

He showed us pictures he says he took of his home after ISIS bombed it.

What was once a seven bedroom villa is now a pile of rubble.

Ahmed took his nine-month pregnant wife and children and came to the Dohuk camp.

It took them 12 hours and now they say they are afraid and on the run.

"People were so scared in Mosul when I left", Ahmed described.

"There was no electricity, no food and we heard explosions. The Islamist fighters were everywhere in the town.

"They wore black masks and were armed. You couldn't speak or reason with them or they'd just kill you."

These are considered the lucky ones as they have a roof over their heads

Many more people are pouring into the camp, bringing with them stories of loss and tragedy.

Hundreds of thousands have recently fled the areas now under the control of ISIS and their allies.

Some are in camps but even more went further into towns close to the border.

The town of Al Qosh near the Syrian border with Iraq has taken in hundreds in the past week.

This ancient Christian community is now opening its doors to Iraqis of different religions. It is providing a safe haven for those seeking protection.

We came across a school that has been turned into a shelter for 30 families who came from Mosul.

Mattresses line the floors, there are flies everywhere.

Umm Younis says she came here with her children because she heard it was safe. It's been a week now and it's been tough.

"Life is unbearable. There's no water, no medicine, no clean place. It's crowded and cramped. If anyone catches a disease then everyone gets it" she told us.

One of the hardest things for these people is that they don't know when or even if they'll be able to go back home.

All the women in the school share one bathroom and the water only comes on every other day.

One of the biggest problem is food, there are only two cookers here to service over 140 people.

And these are considered the lucky ones because they have a roof over their heads and a garden for the children to play.

But in another few weeks this school will re-open and the little they have will be taken away.

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US Condemns Online Iraq 'Massacre' Pictures

ISIS Murder Photos 'Designed To Enrage'

Updated: 5:49pm UK, Sunday 15 June 2014

By Sam Kiley, Foreign Affairs Editor, in Baghdad

They are as troubling as they are atrocious. More than a dozen photographs, apparently taken by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants of their own gunmen murdering scores of hog-tied unarmed men.

In the vicious calculus of the conflict in Iraq and Syria, what can the murderers possibly gain?

Rage.

By posting the images on Twitter and elsewhere with captions that say "These are Persian sheep ready for slaughter" and "This is what happens to Maliki's (Shia) militia" the intent is clear.

The killers want to enrage Iraq's Shia majority.

They want a sectarian civil war.

Al Qaeda in Iraq was bent on fomenting a sectarian war eight years ago.

It blew up the golden dome of the revered al Askariya Mosque in Samarrah in 2006 in an attempt to force a counter attack from Shia militia - and drive moderate Sunnis into their extremist camp for self-defence.

Iraq's al Qaeda networks were largely destroyed, though, when Sunni militia turned against them and worked with the government in what was called The Awakening movement in the late 2000s.

Reborn as ISIS, this deliberate public massacre of Iraqi soldiers and other young Shia is intended to provoke an equally violent response from the Shia against Sunnis - many of whom consider ISIS to be an insane and criminal movement.

But many Sunnis may fight under the ISIS black flag - if only to topple the government of Nuri al Maliki - whom many believe has woefully failed to incorporate Sunnis into his government or protect their interests.

Before the photographs had even been published thousands of Shia, from Basra to Baghdad, had been signing up with the Iraqi army to fight as volunteers.

Iran, a Shia theocracy, has promised military support too. The implication there is that Tehran might intervene. There are some reports that it might already have sent troops, to defend its client government in Baghdad - which is Shia dominated.

There has been a carnival of conflict as Shia men have rallied to the cause and held demonstrations from Basra to Baghdad pledging to "show the Sunnis what the Shia can do".

The best hope of beating the ISIS back and avoiding a descent into religious mayhem most likely lies with remobilising the Sunni militia of The Awakening.

But that will take money, a lot of it - which Iraq has in the form of petro-dollars. And a commitment to bring the Sunni much closer into the government - which Maliki may not have.

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Boris Tells Blair: Put A Sock In It Over Iraq

Boris Johnson has launched a stinging attack on Tony Blair by claiming he has "finally gone mad" after insisting the current crisis in Iraq was caused by a failure to deal with the Syria conflict - not the 2003 US-led invasion.

Writing in his Daily Telegraph column, the Mayor of London said Mr Blair and then-US president George W Bush had shown "unbelievable arrogance" to believe toppling Saddam Hussein would not result in instability.

He went as far as accusing the ex-Labour leader of having sent British forces into the bloody conflict in part to gain personal "grandeur".

He suggested there were "specific and targeted" actions that could be taken by the US and its allies to deal with latest threat - as President Barack Obama considers a range of military options short of ground troops.

But he said that by refusing to accept that the 2003 war was "a tragic mistake", Mr Blair was "now undermining the very cause he advocates: the possibility of serious and effective intervention".

Mr Blair said the West's 'inaction' over Syria is to blame for Iraq

"Somebody needs to get on to Tony Blair and tell him to put a sock in it, or at least to accept the reality of the disaster he helped to engender. Then he might be worth hearing," Mr Johnson said.

"I have come to the conclusion that Tony Blair has finally gone mad. In discussing the disaster of modern Iraq he made assertions that are so jaw-droppingly and breathtakingly at variance with reality that he surely needs professional psychiatric help."

Speaking to Sky News' Dermot Murnaghan, Mr Blair said the West's inability to get tough with Syrian President Bashar al Assad and failure in Libya had allowed terrorism and chaos to spread across the Middle East.

Mr Blair told Murnaghan: "Some people will say 'well if we hadn't removed Saddam in 2003 we wouldn't have the problem today in Iraq and the reason I think that is profoundly mistaken is this: since 2011 there have been these Arab revolutions sweeping across the whole of the region - Tunisa, Libya, Yemen, Egypt, Bahrain, nextdoor to Iraq in Syria - and we can see what would have happened if we left Saddam there in 2003.

Clare Short says Mr Blair was 'wrong, wrong, wrong'

"We have left Bashar Assad in Syria. The result is that there have now in the last three years in Syria been virtually the same number of people killed in Syria as in the whole of Iraq. You have had nine million people displaced from Syria, you have chaos and instability being pushed across the region."

Clare Short, who quit Mr Blair's cabinet in the aftermath of the 2003 invasion, added her voice to the chorus saying he had been "absolutely, consistently wrong, wrong, wrong" on the issue.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage dismissed Mr Blair as an "embarrassment" who should hold his tongue - and demanded "an end to the era of military intervention abroad".

And Sir Christopher Meyer, Britain's ambassador to the US from 1997 to 2003, said the handling of the campaign against Saddam was "perhaps the most significant reason" for today's violence.

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Boy, 6, Shot In Neck By Gunman In Dublin

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

A six-year-old boy has been seriously injured after being shot in the neck by a gunman in west Dublin.

It is understood the shooting took place outside the boy's home in the Ballyfermot area of the city late on Friday.

Sky sources say the child was not the gunman's intended target, but was caught in crossfire.

The boy was taken to the nearby Lady's Hospital in Crumlin where his condition is said to be "stable and non life-threatening".

Reports suggest he was injured after men pushed open the door of a house and shot into the hallway.

A police officer is also thought to have been injured in a subsequent car chase following the attack.

Police have sealed off the area in Croftwood Gardens while they investigate.

A spokesman said: "The shooting occurred shortly after 10pm, a six-year-old boy received what is believed to be a gunshot wound to his neck. When gardai arrived on scene they administered first aid until the arrival of the ambulance."

The shooting adds to the deteriorating criminal picture in Dublin where there has been a significant rise in violent crime in recent months.

Most of it is related to drugs and other gangland crime - but this, to the best of my knowledge, is the first time that a child has been caught up in the violence.

It will certainly increase pressure on the Irish police force to deploy more officers to the area.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Blair Denies Iraq Violence Result Of 2003 War

Tony Blair has blamed the insurgency in Iraq on the "predictable and malign effect" of the West's failure to intervene in Syria - not of the 2003 invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.

In a renewed call for military action, the former prime minister rejected arguments that Iraq would be more stable today if the controversial 2003 war had not happened.

And he said that unless the international community was prepared to overcome public reluctance and confront the extremists "hard, with force", the consequences would be more serious still.

Mr Blair says the 2003 invasion is not to blame

Mr Blair, who led Britain into the US-led war to remove Saddam and is now a Middle East peace envoy, said Iraq was "in mortal danger" from radical Sunni fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) who have taken over several key cities.

But he placed the blame on the sectarianism of Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki's government and the spread of Syria's three-year civil war.

In an eight-page essay on his website, he wrote: "By all means argue about the wisdom of earlier decisions. But it is the decisions now that will matter.

"The choices are all pretty ugly, it is true. But for three years we have watched Syria descend into the abyss and as it is going down, it is slowly but surely wrapping its cords around us pulling us down with it.

"We have to put aside the differences of the past and act now to save the future. Where the extremists are fighting, they have to be countered hard, with force."

But he said it did not mean another invasion, adding: "There are masses of responses we can make short of that. But they need to know that wherever they're engaged in terror, we will be hitting them."

Mr Blair said there was a need to "learn properly" the lessons of the last 10 years and urged people to accept that the violent extremism in the region was not a result of Western intervention.

"Inaction over Syria" is also to blame, says Mr Blair

If Saddam had been left in place, he suggested, Syria's example showed the dictator would probably have gone on to develop weapons of mass destruction.

And there was little doubt that he would have faced an uprising as part of the Arab Spring - risking a "full-blown sectarian war across the region".

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry said American assistance to Iraq would only work if Iraqi leaders overcame deep divisions, the State Department said on Saturday.

After Mr Kerry spoke with Iraqi foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari, the State Department said in a statement: "He emphasised to the Foreign Minister that assistance from the United States would only be successful if Iraqi leaders were willing to put aside differences and implement a coordinated and effective approach to forge the national unity necessary to move the country forward."

Iran's president has said he would consider working with the US

In Iran, President Hassan Rouhani said he would consider working with the US, its traditional enemy, to combat the Islamist militants in Iraq, adding: "We all should practically and verbally confront terrorist groups."

In Iraq, the defence ministry said its forces are having some air strike successes against ISIS fighters who have made dramatic gains in the Sunni heartlands north of Baghdad after overrunning Iraq's second-largest city of Mosul.

"The last three days the Iraqi Army Air Wing has carried out effective missions on militant targets," said General Hamid al Maliki, Commander of the Iraqi Army Air Wing.

:: Watch a special report on the conflict in Iraq on our catch up service. Sky's Foreign Affairs Correspondent Lisa Holland asks whether the current crisis means the end of Iraq. It's free for TV customers with Sky HD+ boxes connected to broadband.

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