Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Further Reading

• Humanitarian supplies reach Amerli UK MOD 31 Aug 2014 -- Lifesaving UK aid for thousands of people trapped by ISIL in the Iraqi town of Amerli was delivered overnight by the Royal Air Force.
• Airstrikes Hit ISIL, Airdrops Aid Citizens in Amirli AFPS 31 Aug 2014 -- At the request of the Government of Iraq, the U.S. military conducted airstrikes in support of an operation to deliver humanitarian assistance to address the humanitarian crisis and protect the civilians trapped in Amirli, Iraq, at approximately 8:30 p.m. EDT yesterday.
• Bataan ARG Deployment Extended in 5th Fleet NNS 31 Aug 2014 -- The Secretary of Defense ordered the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Aug. 30, to remain in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) until the beginning of October.
• Iraqi Forces Break Siege of Northern Town VOA 31 Aug 2014 -- Iraqi officials say their forces broke through Sunday to the jihadist-besieged northern town of Amerli.
• Australia To Assist Forces Fighting Islamic State In Iraq RFE/RL 31 Aug 2014 -- Australia says it will fly military equipment and aid into Iraq to help fight Islamic State militants.
• Iraqi forces enter ISIL-besieged Amerli town Iran Press TV 31 Aug 2014 -- Iraqi army troops, backed by thousands of volunteers, have entered the northern city of Amerli that has been surrounded by the ISIL cult since two months ago.
• Iraqi Kurds advance on ISIL Takfiris northwest of Mosul Iran Press TV 31 Aug 2014 -- Iraqi Kurdish forces have gained access to the Zumar area northwest of Mosul while continuing their advance against the ISIL Takfiri terrorists.
• 'Militants returning from Iraq, Syria may attack Germany' Iran Press TV 31 Aug 2014 -- The chief of Germany's domestic security agency has warned of the potential attacks against the country by militants returning from Iraq and Syria.
• Statement From Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby DoD 30 Aug 2014
• Military Conducts Airstrikes Against ISIL Near Mosul Dam AFPS 30 Aug 2014 -- U.S. military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in support of Iraqi security force operations.
• U.S., Partner-nations Conduct Humanitarian Airdrop in Iraq AFPS 30 Aug 2014 -- American military planes along with Australian, French and British aircraft airdropped humanitarian aid to the town of Amirli in Iraq.
• Australian Forces Ready to Join Iraq Airstrikes VOA 30 Aug 2014 -- Australia says it is prepared to send Super Hornet fighter jets to join U.S.-led airstrikes on Islamist extremists in Iraq.
• Pentagon Prepares Options for President on ISIL AFPS 29 Aug 2014 -- Military officials here and at U.S. Central Command are working to present President Barack Obama with options to contain the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Syria.
• Pentagon: Iraq Operations Cost $7.5 Million Daily VOA 29 Aug 2014 -- The Pentagon says U.S. military operations against Islamic State militants in Iraq are costing, on average, $7.5 million per day.
• Obama Signals No Immediate Airstrikes in Syria VOA 29 Aug 2014 -- President Barack Obama is downplaying the possibility of imminent U.S. airstrikes against Islamic extremists in Syria, as the insurgents released a new video appearing to show another brutal beheading.
• Coalition to Fight Islamic State Could Reward Assad VOA 28 Aug 2014 -- The United States along with European and Mideast allies are considering a broader assault against Islamic State fighters who have spread from Syria into Iraq and risk further destabilizing an already troubled region.
• Tanker with $100 million Iraqi oil goes dark off Texas coast Iran Press TV 29 Aug 2014 -- A tanker near the US state of Texas loaded with $100 million of disputed crude oil from Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region has gone missing, reports say.
• Obama Tasks DoD for Options Against ISIL AFPS 28 Aug 2014 -- President Barack Obama has directed Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to present a range of options aimed at the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
• Is West Doing Enough to Tackle Islamic State? VOA 28 Aug 2014 -- U.S. President Barack Obama has ruled out sending ground troops to Iraq to fight militants of the so-called Islamic State or ISIS, despite officials in Washington describing the extremist group as the biggest threat the United States has faced in years.
• U.S. Conducts Airstrikes Against ISIL Near Mosul Dam AFPS 28 Aug 2014 -- U.S. military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in support of Iraqi security force operations, using fighter aircraft to conduct five airstrikes in the vicinity of the Mosul Dam.
• Obama: Priority is Rolling Back Islamic State Gains in Iraq VOA 28 Aug 2014 -- U.S. President Barack Obama says his priority is rolling back the gains the Islamic State has made in Iraq.
• US Seeks International Coalition to Defeat IS Militants VOA 28 Aug 2014 -- The United States Wednesday said it is seeking to build an international coalition to confront the threat posed by Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria and Iraq.
• Obama weighs hitting ISIL, Congress demands approval Iran Press TV 28 Aug 2014 -- Calls are growing on Capitol Hill for US President Barack Obama to seek congressional approval before he expands the military air campaign against ISIL targets from Iraq into neighboring Syria.
• ISIL militants set 3 Iraqi oil wells ablaze in Nineveh Iran Press TV 28 Aug 2014 -- ISIL Takfiri militants have torched at least three oil wells in Iraq’s northern province of Nineveh as Kurdish fighters continue to advance in the area.
• Iraqi Izadis abandoned on Sinjar Mountain Iran Press TV 28 Aug 2014 -- New reports indicate that hundreds or possibly thousands of members of Iraq’s Kurdish Izadi minority escaping ISIL militants remain abandoned on top of Sinjar Mountain.
• Iran to Send Troops to Iraq If IS Threatens Shiite Shrines RIA Novosti 28 Aug 2014 -- Iran is ready to send troops if the Islamic State (IS) Sunni extremist group damages the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala, which are considered sacred by Shiite Muslims.
• Jets bomb ISIL hideouts around Iraqi town of Amerli Iran Press TV 27 Aug 2014 -- Iraqi fighter jets have targeted several hideouts of ISIL terrorists besieging Shia Turkmen town of Amerli.
• UN operation to feed displaced Iraqis reaches over 700,000 people UN News Centre 27 Aug 2014 -- Food aid convoys from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have reached displaced Iraqis in Karbala.
• Islamic State Growing Larger Than Al-Qaeda Ever Thought They Could - Experts RIA Novosti 26 Aug 2014 -- The Islamic State (IS) jihadi movement has evidently overshadowed al-Qaeda, claim terrorism experts.
• Obama: U.S. Combat Troops Will Not Return to Iraq AFPS 26 Aug 2014 -- President Barack Obama has again emphasized that U.S. combat troops will not be sent back into Iraq.
• Statement by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on Kurdish Resupply Effort DoD 26 Aug 2014
• Hagel: Seven Nations Pledge Arms for Iraqi Kurds in Fight Against ISIL AFPS 26 Aug 2014 -- Seven nations have joined the United States and the Iraqi government with pledges to provide arms to Kurdish forces in northern Iraq.
• Iran 'Provided' Weapons To Iraqi Kurdish Forces To Fight IS RFE/RL 26 Aug 2014 -- The Iraqi Kurdish leader says Iran has provided weapons and ammunition to Iraqi Kurdish forces to fight Islamic State (IS) militants.
• Car Bomb Kills 10 in Iraqi Capital VOA 26 Aug 2014 -- A car bomb has exploded in a mainly Shi'ite neighborhood in Iraq's capital, killing at least 10 people and wounding 31 others.
• Wave Of Bombings Hits Baghdad, Southern Iraq RFE/RL 25 Aug 2014 -- A wave of bombings has struck Baghdad and southern Iraq, killing at least 43 people amid heightened sectarian tensions.
• Terrorist attacks kill 43 across Iraq Iran Press TV 25 Aug 2014 -- A wave of attacks targeting several Iraqi cities including the capital Baghdad has left a total of 43 people dead.
• Iraqi civilians suffering ‘horrific’ persecution, ethnic cleansing – UN rights chief UN News Centre 25 Aug 2014 -- The United Nations human rights chief today condemned the appalling and horrific crimes against humanity being committed daily in Iraq by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and associated armed groups.
• Analysts Warn United Iraqi Effort Needed Against Islamic State Militants VOA 21 Aug 2014 -- ISIL used savvy messaging and political deal brokering to gain partners and take over a large territory.
• Obama: 'World Appalled' By Foley Beheading RFE/RL 20 Aug 2014 -- U.S. President Barack Obama has said the whole world is appalled by the beheading of American journalist James Foley by jihadist militants of the Islamic State (IS) group.'
• IS Militants Behead US Journalist Taken Captive in 2012 - Reports RIA Novosti 20 Aug 2014 -- The Islamic State militant group may have beheaded US journalist James Foley, taken prisoner by armed men in Syria in 2012, in retaliation for airstrikes against its rebels approved by US President Barack Obama earlier this month.
• Obama Condemns US Journalist's Beheading VOA 20 Aug 2014 -- President Barack Obama on Wednesday condemned the Islamic State militant group that beheaded an American journalist as a spreading 'cancer' that must be eradicated.
• France Wants Arabs, Iran, UN Security Council to Tackle Islamic State VOA 20 Aug 2014 -- France said on Wednesday it wanted the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and regional countries, including Arab states and Iran, to coordinate action against the militant group Islamic State, the insurgents who control parts of Iraq and Syria.
• Statement by the President The White House 20 Aug 2014
• Iraq's Zebari urges global support against ISIL terrorists Iran Press TV 20 Aug 2014 -- Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari has called on the international community to back his country's ongoing offensive against ISIL Takfiri terrorists.
• Kurdish ministers rejoin Iraq government: Zebari Iran Press TV 20 Aug 2014 -- The Kurdish ministers who had suspended their participation with the Iraqi government have rejoined the administration of outgoing Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, says the country's Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari.
• Italy to Supply Iraq with Soviet Weapons - Defense Minister RIA Novosti 20 Aug 2014 -- Rome plans to send to Iraq Soviet-produced weapons confiscated more than 20 years ago during the Balkan Wars, Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti said.
• Kurdish Ministers Return to Iraqi Administration RIA Novosti 20 Aug 2014 -- Kurdish ministers who earlier suspended their participation in former Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's government have rejoined the administration, Reuters reported citing reinstated Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, an ethnic Iraqi Kurd.
• Iraq: major relief effort underway in north as UN envoy warns against targeting of Sunnis in south UN News Centre 20 Aug 2014 -- A United Nations refugee agency cargo jet carrying 100 tons of emergency relief supplies landed at Erbil in Iraq's Kurdistan region today "in the largest single aid push" in more than a decade, as the top UN official in the country warned against increased targeting of Sunni minorities in the south.
• Iraqi Minorities Seek UN Emergency Session VOA 19 Aug 2014 -- An international coalition of activists is calling on the U.N. Human Rights Council to convene an emergency session on the plight of minority groups in Iraq, including the Yazidis and Christians. The coalition says urgent action is needed to save the people whose lives and cultural heritage are in grave danger.
• Islamic State Militants 'Kill Reporter On Video' RFE/RL 19 Aug 2014 -- The Islamic State militant group has released a video purportedly showing the beheading of a American journalist.
• US Attempting to Verify Beheading of Journalist VOA 19 Aug 2014 -- The Obama administration says it is trying confirm the authenticity of a video that purports to show the killing of an American photojournalist by Islamic State militants.
• US Airstrikes May Push Islamic State Back into Fight Against Assad VOA 19 Aug 2014 -- Syria and the United States are both attacking Islamic State militants who have displaced thousands of civilians in Syria and northern Iraq. But, U.S. airstrikes in Iraq could push those forces back across the border and again into the fight against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
• Kirby: Mosul Dam Operation Not 'Mission Creep' AFPS 19 Aug 2014 -- The partnership between U.S., Iraqi and Peshmerga forces was critical to the success of the operation to retake the Mosul Dam from Sunni terrorists, the Pentagon press secretary said today.
• Iraq: UN refugee agency launches major humanitarian aid push for displaced people UN News Centre 19 Aug 2014 -- The United Nations refugee agency said today that it is launching one of its largest humanitarian aid pushes in response to the deteriorating situation in Iraq, aiming to help close to a half million people who had been forced to flee their homes.
• US Air Power Aiding Iraq in Fight Against Militants VOA 19 Aug 2014 -- Backed by a series of U.S. airstrikes, Iraq's military is fighting back against Islamic militants who have seized large swathes of land across the north and west of the country into Syria declaring it a "caliphate."
• Obama Denies Plans to Put US Combat Forces on Iraqi Ground RIA Novosti 19 Aug 2014 -- US President Barack Obama in a Monday statement reaffirmed that the US military had no plans to put combat forces on the ground in Iraq, despite an increase in US airstrikes at Islamic State positions in the country’s north.
• Iraqi forces launch offensive to retake Tikrit Iran Press TV 19 Aug 2014 -- Iraqi government forces have launched a major operation to retake the troubled northern city of Tikrit from Takfiri terrorists.
• Iraqi Forces Begin Operation Against IS Militants In Tikrit RFE/RL 19 Aug 2014 -- The Iraqi military has launched an operation to drive Islamic State (IS) militants out of Tikrit, the hometown of former dictator Saddam Hussein.
• ISIL, enemy number-one of Islam: Saudi Mufti Iran Press TV 19 Aug 2014 -- Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh has strongly condemned Takfiri ISIL terrorists for their crimes in the Middle East and violation of Islamic principles and teachings.
• Statement by the President The White House 18 Aug 2014
• Statement from Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby DoD 18 Aug 2014-- Over the past 72 hours, at the request of the Iraqi government, the U.S. military used fighters, bombers, attack, and unmanned aircraft to conduct 35 strikes that eliminated ISIL positions in and around the Mosul Dam complex
• US Imposes Sanctions Against Key Members of Islamic State, Jabhat al-Nusra RIA Novosti 18 Aug 2014 -- US authorities have imposed sanctions on two key members of Islamic State (IS) and Jabhat al-Nusra military groups, the US Department of the Treasury said on its website.
• Terrorist Designation of Abu Mohammed al-Adnani US Dept. of State 18 Aug 2014 -- The Department of State has designated Abu Mohammed al-Adnani as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.
• Security of Mosul Dam Critical to Iraq's Infrastructure AFPS 18 Aug 2014 -- President Barack Obama has announced that Iraqi forces, aided by on-going U.S airstrikes, have recaptured Mosul Dam from ISIL terrorists.
• Iraq Military Claims It Controls Country's Largest Dam Iran Press TV 18 Aug 2014 -- Iraqi counterterrorism forces and Kurdish Peshmerga have retaken the Mosul Dam, previously controlled by Islamic State (IS) militants since August 7, AFP reports citing Iraqi security spokesman Lieutenant General Qassim Atta. According to BBC, he told state television that the dam had been "fully cleansed".
• UN humanitarian agencies scaling up efforts as Iraq's displacement crisis deepens UN News Centre 18 Aug 2014 -- Amidst an expanding displacement crisis in Iraq, several United Nations humanitarian organizations are scaling up efforts to get food and water to people fleeing attacks by the Islamic State (IS).
• Obama: Iraqi Kurds, Military Recapture Mosul Dam VOA 18 Aug 2014 -- President Barack Obama says American airstrikes have helped Iraqi forces and Kurds recapture the strategic Mosul dam from Islamist militants and avert a humanitarian disaster.
• Iran Looks to Maintain Influence in Baghdad With New Shia PM VOA 18 Aug 2014 -- Washington and Tehran share the goal of stopping Syrian-based militants in Iraq. But experts say it's Iran, not the United States, that will most influence how the new government in Baghdad approaches internal reforms and the war in Syria.
• Fleeing Yezidi Iraqis seek safety in Turkey IRIN 18 Aug 2014 -- As soon as he crossed the border into southeastern Turkey, Khudeda Khalaf downed a bottle of water and called his aunt's cell phone, praying that she and her family had made it to safety.
• Iraq, Militants Voice Conflicting Claims Over Control of Mosul Dam VOA 18 Aug 2014 -- Iraqi and Kurdish forces say they have retaken control of the key Mosul dam from Islamic State fighters, but the militants are disputing the claim.
• Australia Offers to Resettle Thousands of Iraqi and Syrian Refugees VOA 18 Aug 2014 -- Australia's immigration minister, Scott Morrison, said the country will offer to resettle almost 4,500 refugees from Iraq and Syria. This will be part of Canberra's formal refugee intake of about 14,000 people each year. Morrison insists the places are available because of the government's success in stopping asylum-seeker boats.
• Letter from the President - War Powers Resolution Regarding Iraq The White House 17 Aug 2014
• Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on the President's Authorization of Operations in Iraq The White House 17 Aug 2014
• Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL Near Mosul Dam AFPS 17 Aug 2014 -- U.S. Central Command forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Iraq today near the Mosul Dam using a mix of fighter, bomber, attack and remotely piloted aircraft.
• New Airstrikes Against ISIL Forces Near Mosul Dam AFPS 17 Aug 2014 -- U.S. military forces conducted additional airstrikes today in Iraq, using fighter and attack aircraft to attack ISIL terrorists near Mosul Dam.
• US Strikes Militants Near Key Mosul Dam in Iraq VOA 17 Aug 2014 -- For the second straight day, U.S. military forces have carried out airstrikes to support Kurdish fighters as they try to wrest control of a strategic dam in northern Iraq from Islamic State militants.
• Peaceful transition of power in Iraq IRNA 17 Aug 2014 -- Although the dark clouds of sectarianism had eclipsed Iraq's political system and the country was to descend into anarchy, Nuri al-Maliki made a historic decision. The Iraqi premier bowed to the constitution and accepted the peaceful transition of power in the Arab nation.
• Iran hails peaceful power transition in Iraq ISNA 17 Aug 2014 -- The Islamic Republic of Iran hailed recent political developments in Iraq, saying it would back "unity, integrity, and sovereignty," in the crisis-hit country.
• Iraqi Kurdish fighters retake full control of Mosul dam Iran Press TV 17 Aug 2014 -- Iraqi Kurdish fighters have fully retaken control of the strategic dam of Mosul from ISIL Takfiri militants in northern Iraq.
• ISIL pushed back around key Iraqi dam near Mosul Iran Press TV 17 Aug 2014 -- Iraqi Kurdish sources say almost half of Mosul dam in the troubled northern Iraq has been retaken from the ISIL Takfiri militants.
• Kurdish fighters make advances against ISIL in north Iraq Iran Press TV 17 Aug 2014 -- Iraqi Kurdish fighters say they have made more advances in their fight to retake the strategic dam of Mosul from ISIL Takfiri militants in northern Iraq.
• Kurdish Forces Retake Mosul Dam From 'Islamic State' Fighters RFE/RL 17 Aug 2014 -- Kurdish peshmerga forces backed by U.S. air strikes have reportedly recaptured Iraq's strategic Mosul dam from Islamic State (IS) fighters.
• China to support Iraqi gov't in stabilizing situation People's Daily 16 Aug 2014 -- China will continue to support the Iraqi government in stabilizing the situation in the country as soon as possible, said President Xi Jinping on Saturday.
• U.S. Warplanes, Kurdish Forces Attack Militants At Strategic Iraqi Dam RFE/RL 16 Aug 2014 -- Kurdish forces backed by U.S. warplanes have launched an attack on militants from the Islamic State in northern Iraq in the area around Mosul dam.
• In Iraq, US Airstrikes Near Strategic Mosul Dam VOA 16 Aug 2014 -- Officials say the U.S. military launched airstrikes Saturday as Iraqi forces launched an operation to re-take Mosul Dam from Islamic State militants.
• Adopting resolution, Security Council approves sanctions against militants in Iraq, Syria UN News Centre 15 Aug 2014 -- Expressing its "gravest concern" that parts of Iraq and Syria are now under the control of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al-Nusra Front, the United Nations Security Council today placed six individuals affiliated with the terrorist groups on its Al-Qaida sanctions list and threatened measures against those who finance, recruit or supply weapons to them.
• EU Approves Arming Of Kurds; US Says Air Strikes Will Continue VOA 15 Aug 2014 -- European Union foreign ministers on Friday approved sending weapons to Iraq's embattled Kurds, as Kurdish forces, bolstered by U.S. air strikes, struggle to push back against advancing Islamic State militants.
• Emergency Aid Boosted for Iraq's Refugees VOA 15 Aug 2014 -- Aid agencies are scaling up humanitarian operations in Iraq in response to the recent U.N. declaration that the displacement crisis in the country has reached its highest level of emergency.
• Iraq aid response "inadequate" despite funding boost IRIN 15 Aug 2014 -- Tens of thousands of Iraqis have yet to receive aid despite funding pouring into relief efforts, according to NGOs.
• Iraq's top cleric voices support for newly designated premier Iran Press TV 15 Aug 2014 -- Iraq's top Shia cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has urged lawmakers to cooperate with the country's newly designated Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to form a new government.
• 15,000 Izadi Kurds find refuge in north Syria: UNHCR Iran Press TV 15 Aug 2014 -- The United Nations refugee agency says tens of thousands of Izadi Kurds in Iraq have fled the ISIL-fueled violence in their homeland and sought refuge in northern Syria.
• EU Ministers Give Nod To Arming Iraqi Kurds RFE/RL 15 Aug 2014 -- European Union ministers meeting in Brussels have given their approval to EU states that wish to send weapons to beleaguered Kurdish forces in northern Iraq.
• Senior UN officials commend decision of Iraq's al-Maliki to back his successor UN News Centre 15 Aug 2014 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his envoy in Iraq welcomed Nouri al-Maliki's decision to step aside as Prime Minister and urged national political leaders to build consensus on how to address security threats and other challenges facing the country.
• EU Ministers Approve Arming Iraqi Kurds VOA 15 Aug 2014 -- European Union leaders have approved sending arms to Kurdish forces who are battling Islamic extremists in northern Iraq.
• DoD Spokesman: Iraq Situation Still Dangerous, Efforts Continue AFPS 14 Aug 2014 -- While the threat of mass violence on Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq has passed, the threat from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant remains, and the United States continues its efforts to assist the Iraqi people caught up in violence, the Pentagon press secretary said today.
• Obama Praises Success of Humanitarian Operations in Iraq AFPS 14 Aug 2014 -- President Barack Obama has announced an end to the siege of Iraq's Mount Sinjar where Iraqi Yezidis had fled to escape Sunni terrorists, and that U.S. airdrops to those who were trapped there will likely end. But he said airstrikes will continue to protect Americans in the country.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Rear Adm. Kirby in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 14 Aug 2014 -- Presenter: Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby
• Iraq's Prime Minister Agrees to Renounce Power VOA 14 Aug 2014 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has agreed to renounce power, saying he will give up his post to his replacement, moderate Shi'ite Haider al-Abadi.
• Statement by the President The White House 14 Aug 2014
• Pressure Mounts On Iraq's Maliki To Step Down RFE/RL 14 Aug 2014 -- Pressure is building on Iraq Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to leave office hours after he said he would only exit his post if forced by a court decision.
• UN declares Iraq 'Level 3 Emergency' to trigger more resources, speed up aid delivery UN News Centre 14 Aug 2014 -- The United Nations has designated its highest level emergency for the humanitarian crisis in Iraq, citing the scale and complexity of the situation, which is impacting tens of thousands of people that have been forcefully displaced by the armed group, Islamic State (IS).
• Obama: US Mission in Iraq Makes Progress VOA 14 Aug 2014 -- With the situation 'greatly improved' for Iraqi refugees who'd been stranded on a mountain in northeast Iraq, President Barack Obama said the United States would scale back efforts there and shift to providing more support for Iraqis battling insurgents of the Islamic State group elsewhere in the country.
• Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby DoD 13 Aug 2014 -- As part of the ongoing humanitarian efforts ordered by President Obama, today a team of U.S. military personnel, accompanied by USAID, conducted an assessment of the situation on Mt. Sinjar and the impact of U.S. military actions to date
• Speed Necessary for Iraq Assessments, DoD Spokesman Says AFPS 13 Aug 2014 -- Though no timeline is established for the work of about 130 additional Defense Department personnel who arrived in Erbil, Iraq, yesterday to assess the situation there, rapid assessment is necessary, Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steven Warren told reporters today.
• Iraq Christians flee from Takfiri violence, seek refuge in Syria Iran Press TV 13 Aug 2014 -- Iraq's Christians escaping from ISIL terrorists' atrocities are seeking refuge in the province of Hasakah in neighboring Syria, Press TV reports.
• I won't quit without court ruling: Maliki Iran Press TV 13 Aug 2014 -- Iraq's incumbent Premier Nouri al-Maliki has hinted that only a federal court ruling can decide whether he must leave office or not.
• France to Supply Arms to Iraqi Kurds RIA Novosti 13 Aug 2014 -- France has made a decision to supply arms to Iraqi Kurds so that they can help the Iraqi government fight against Islamic State (IS) militants, the Elysee Palace said in a statement Wednesday.
• Security Council encouraged by appointment of Iraqi Prime Minister-elect UN News Centre 13 Aug 2014 -- As Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi continues to form a new Government, the United Nations Security Council today urged all political parties and their supporters to remain calm and respect the country's Constitution.
• 'Barbaric' sexual violence perpetrated by Islamic State militants in Iraq – UN UN News Centre 13 Aug 2014 -- Two senior United Nations officials today condemned in the strongest terms the "barbaric acts" of sexual violence and "savage rapes" the armed group Islamic State (IS) has perpetrated on minorities in areas under its control.
• Obama Considering More Steps to Aid Iraqi Refugees VOA 13 Aug 2014 -- The United States is considering measures including airlifts and a humanitarian corridor to rescue thousands of Iraqi religious minorities trapped on a mountain in northern Iraq.
• U.S. Provides Aid to Yezidis, Strikes ISIL Mortar Position AFPS 13 Aug 2014 -- The U.S. military conducted a sixth airdrop last night of food and water for thousands of Iraqi citizens threatened by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on Mount Sinjar, Iraq, U.S. Central Command officials said.
• President Sends 130 More Assessors to Iraq AFPS 13 Aug 2014 -- President Barack Obama has ordered 130 new assessors to deploy to Iraq, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said yesterday at Camp Pendleton, California.
• UK steps up aid for Northern Iraq UK MOD 13 Aug 2014 -- International Development Secretary Justine Greening has confirmed a third round of successful UK aid drops, including much-needed shelter, to help thousands of people on Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq.
• Kerry Says U.S. Looking To Evacuate Displaced Iraqis RFE/RL 13 Aug 2014 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says Washington wants to evacuate tens of thousands of people on a northern Iraqi mountain caught in a dire humanitarian crisis.
• France to Send Weapons to Kurd Forces in Iraq VOA 13 Aug 2014 -- France said it is sending weapons to Kurdish forces in Iraq to help them fight militants from the Islamic State group who have taken control of large areas in northern and western Iraq with little resistance from the Iraqi army.
• US Deploys Military Advisers to Northern Iraq VOA 12 Aug 2014 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says about 130 more U.S. military advisers have been deployed to northern Iraq, to assess ways in which Washington can help Baghdad deal with resurgent Islamist extremists.
• Al-Maliki to play crucial role in Iraq politics: Al-Abadi Iran Press TV 12 Aug 2014 -- Iraq's prime minister-designate Haider al-Abadi says the incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki "will remain a fundamental partner in the Iraqi political process."
• Iran congratulates Iraq on new premier designate Iran Press TV 12 Aug 2014 -- Iran has congratulated Haider al-Abadi for his nomination as the new Iraqi prime minister and the completion of the new government formation process in accordance with the country's constitution.
• Iraqi security forces must stay out of politics: Al-Maliki Iran Press TV 12 Aug 2014 -- Iraq's incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has ordered security forces to stay out of the ongoing political crisis in the country.
• Iran backs nomination of new Iraqi premier: Official Iran Press TV 12 Aug 2014 -- Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Ali Shamkhani says the country supports the legal process for the appointment of Haider al-Abadi as the new Iraqi Prime Minister.
• UN urges action to stop 'genocide' of Izadi Kurds Iran Press TV 12 Aug 2014 -- United Nations' rights monitors have called for urgent international action to avoid a potential genocide of Izadi Kurds in the militancy-riddled northern Iraq within days.
• US Troops to Refrain from Returning to Iraq RIA Novosti 12 Aug 2014 -- US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday that US forces would not return to Iraq, but the US government will continue its support for the country.
• Czech Republic to Send Weapons to Iraq – Czech Defense Ministry RIA Novosti 12 Aug 2014 -- The Czech Republic is preparing to start sending weapons to democratic forces in Iraq fighting against Islamic State (IS) militants, Jan Pejsek, a representative of the Czech Defense Ministry, told RIA Novosti Tuesday.
• Obama Says US Planes 'in Position' to Attack Islamists in Iraq, Urges 'Inclusive' Cabinet RIA Novosti 12 Aug 2014 -- US President Barack Obama said the United States was ready to launch new airstrikes at Islamic State's military targets in northwestern Iraq if the militant group threatened the safety of Yazidi refugees stranded on Mount Sinjar, the White House said on Tuesday.
• Amid spread of 'hatred and brutality,' Ban urges countries to do more to help Iraqi civilians UN News Centre 12 Aug 2014 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged Iraqi security forces against intervening in the country's political process where heightened tensions, coupled with the current security threat from the armed group, the Islamic State, could lead the country into even deeper crisis.
• UNHCR: Kurdish Region Overwhelmed by Influx of Displaced VOA 12 Aug 2014 -- The U.N. refugee agency reports tens of thousands of people who have escaped from Sinjar Mountain in northwest Iraq through Syria have gone back into Iraq's Kurdish region over the past three days. The UNHCR warns the deepening displacement crisis brought on by the onslaught of militants in northern Iraq is overwhelming the ability of aid agencies to respond to the growing humanitarian needs.
• Iran Supports Choice For New Iraq Prime Minister RFE/RL 12 Aug 2014 -- Iran, a key ally of Iraq's embattled Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, said it supports the nomination of Haidar al-Abadi to replace Maliki as premier.
• Northern Iraq: UN rights experts urge action to avoid mass atrocity, potential genocide UN News Centre 12 Aug 2014 -- A group of United Nations human rights experts today expressed grave concern at the imminent danger of massacre faced by the Yazidi population forced to flee Sinjar in northern Iraq and other minority communities currently exposed to attacks by members of the armed group, Islamic State (IS).
• PM-designate Abadi Gains Support of US, Iran VOA 12 Aug 2014 -- Iraq's new prime minister-designate won endorsements from uneasy mutual allies the United States and Iran on Tuesday as he called on political leaders to end crippling feuds that have allowed Sunni militants to seize a third of the country.
• EU Increases Aid to Displaced Iraqis VOA 12 Aug 2014 -- The European Union announced Tuesday it is increasing humanitarian assistance to Iraqis trapped by the fighting in their homeland, but pressure is mounting on Brussels to do more. France and Italy are calling for an emergency EU meeting to consider providing military assistance to Kurds fighting Islamist extremists in Iraq.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Lt. Gen. Mayville in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 11 Aug 2014-- Presenter: Lieutenant General William Mayville
• Humanitarian Assistance Continues in Iraq AFPS 11 Aug 2014 -- The United States and Britain have flown 14 humanitarian airdrops since Aug. 7 to Yezidi refugees in the Sinjar Mountains in Iraq, a Defense Department official said today.
• Hagel Calls ISIL Terrorists Threat to Civilized World AFPS 11 Aug 2014 -- The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant poses a threat to the civilized world, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in Sydney today.
• Obama Praises Selection of Iraqi PM-designate VOA 11 Aug 2014 -- U.S. President Barack Obama expressed support for the selection of a new candidate to replace Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki even as the longtime leader resisted efforts to unseat him, setting up a fierce power struggle as the government fights a rapidly advancing Sunni insurgency.
• UN Concerned for Displaced Iraqis VOA 11 Aug 2014 -- The United Nations said Monday the situation for thousands of Iraqis who have fled Islamic State terrorists in the north of the country is still dire, despite several thousand of them escaping their mountain refuge.
• Statement by the President on Iraq The White House 11 Aug 2014
• Maliki's Dawa Party rejects new Iraqi PM Iran Press TV 11 Aug 2014 -- The incumbent Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Dawa Party has dismissed the nomination of Haider al-Abadi as the country's new premier.
• US sending weapons to Iraqi Kurds fighting ISIL Iran Press TV 11 Aug 2014 -- The US government is supplying weapons to Kurdish forces in northern Iraq who are engaged in a fierce battle with ISIL Takfiri terrorists, according to senior US officials.
• Iraq president names deputy speaker new premier Iran Press TV 11 Aug 2014 -- Iraq's new President Fouad Massoum has nominated the deputy parliament speaker to form the new government.
• Iraqi top court declares Maliki's coalition as largest in parliament Iran Press TV 11 Aug 2014 -- Iraq's top court has declared Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law coalition as the largest in parliament.
• 1000s of Iraqi refugees cross into Syria to flee ISIL violence Iran Press TV 11 Aug 2014 -- Thousands of displaced Iraqis, mostly from the Yazidi Kurdish community, have crossed the border into Syria to escape the ISIL violence in Iraq.
• France Deliberates Plan Offering Weapons to Iraqi Kurds - Reports RIA Novosti 11 Aug 2014 -- French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced France's potential plans to supply arms to Iraq's Kurds to use against Islamic State (IS) jihadists currently terrorizing northern Iraq, channel France 2 reported.
• Iraq: UN officials urge respect for constitution as Prime Minister-designate named UN News Centre 11 Aug 2014 -- Amidst ongoing insecurity in northern Iraq, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his representative in the country expressed support today for President Fouad Masoum's office, as politicians are working towards creating a new Government, and warned that heightened political tensions could lead Iraq into even deeper crisis.
• Iraq's President Asks Haidar Al-Abadi To Form New Government RFE/RL 11 Aug 2014 -- Reports say Iraq's president has asked senior Shi'ite politician Haidar al-Abadi to form a new government.
• Iraq's Abadi Asked to Form Government VOA 11 Aug 2014 -- Haider al-Abadi, nominated Monday by Iraqi President Fouad Massoum to replace embattled Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and form a new government, has called upon other Iraqis to join forces against the 'barbaric' onslaught of Islamic State fighters roiling the country's north.
• Iraq: UN official urges respect for constitution, notes security should not interfere in politics UN News Centre 11 Aug 2014 -- Amidst ongoing insecurity in the northern part of the country, the top United Nations official in Iraq today expressed support for President Fouad Masoum's office and urged security forces to exercise restraint at this "dangerous time" as politicians are working towards creating a new Government.
• Troops Loyal to Iraqi PM Reported Surrounding President's Home VOA 10 Aug 2014 -- Iraqi news reports says troops loyal to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki have surrounded the home of President Fouad Massoum.
• Humanitarian Airdrops, Strikes Against ISIL Continue in Iraq AFPS 10 Aug 2014 -- The U.S. military yesterday conducted a third airdrop of food and water for thousands of Iraqi citizens threatened by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq, and airstrikes against ISIL targets continued, U.S. Central Command officials said.
• US Conducts New Iraq Airstrikes Against Islamic State Insurgents VOA 10 Aug 2014 -- The United States carried out a new round of airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq on Sunday.
• US Engagement in Iraq Continues VOA 10 Aug 2014 -- Western engagement continues to intensify in Iraq, where the United States and Britain are delivering humanitarian supplies while U.S. air strikes target radical Sunni militants.
• ISIL executed hundreds of Izadi Kurds: Iraqi official Iran Press TV 10 Aug 2014 -- A senior Iraqi official says Takfiri ISIL terrorists have carried out hundreds of summary executions after seizing a town in the country's troubled north.
• ISIL terrorists creep close to Iraq's Kiruk Iran Press TV 10 Aug 2014 -- Local authorities in Iraq's Kirkuk say Takfiri ISIL militants are getting closer to the volatile city in northern Iraq.
• U.K., France Join U.S. Aid Efforts For Displaced Iraqis RFE/RL 10 Aug 2014 -- Britain and France have joined U.S. efforts to provide humanitarian aid to thousands of displaced civilians besieged by Islamic State (IS) jihadists on a mountain in northern Iraq for the past week.
• Iraqi Kurdish President Asks World Community for Weapons to Fight Islamic Militants RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2014 -- President of Iraqi Kurdistan Masoud Barzani asked the international community to provide his country with weapons to fight against Islamic State militants, Reuters reported Sunday.
• Islamic State Militants Hold Hundreds of Yezidi Women Captive RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2014 -- Hundreds of women from the Yezidi minority have been taken hostage by militants from the Islamic State (IS), formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS), said Kamil Amin, the spokesman for Iraq's Human Rights Ministry, according to the Associated Press.
• UN Urges Iraqi Broad Based Government to Confront Islamic State Militants RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2014 -- While on Iraq a draft UN Security Council resolution remains pending, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement expressing deep concern about the evolving humanitarian and security situation in Iraq.
• UN chief urges Iraq political leaders to form new government UN News Centre 10 Aug 2014 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on all Iraqi political parties to work towards the formation of a new government that would be able to confront the threat from the armed group, the Islamic State (IS).
• China supports Iraq in combating terrorism People's Daily 09 Aug 2014 -- China said Friday that it supports efforts made by Iraq in safeguarding sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity as well as combating terrorism.
• US Officials Report Fresh Strikes in Iraq VOA 09 Aug 2014 -- The U.S. military says it carried out four more airstrikes against Islamic State militants in northern Iraq who were firing on civilians.
• UN agency chief warns that northern Iraq is facing 'cultural cleansing' UN News Centre 09 Aug 2014 -- As United Nations humanitarian agencies and partners are extending aid to hundreds of thousands of families on the run in northern Iraq from armed militants, a senior UN official is calling for an immediate stop to what she termed an "emerging cultural cleansing."
• Obama: Airstrikes in Iraq will continue for as long as 'necessary' Iran Press TV 09 Aug 2014 -- US President Barack Obama promises to continue airstrikes to prevent the advance of ISIL terrorists in northern Iraq where American diplomats are stationed.
• McCain says Obama's airstrikes on ISIL are meaningless Iran Press TV 09 Aug 2014 -- US President Barack Obama's authorization for limited airstrikes against ISIL targets in northern Iraq are "meaningless" and "worse than nothing," says Senator John McCain.
• Obama Says U.S. Action In Iraq 'Right Thing To Do,' Won't 'Drag' U.S. Into New War RFE/RL 09 Aug 2014 -- President Barack Obama has announced fresh air strikes by U.S. forces on positions of the Islamic State in northern Iraq, adding that such attacks will continue in order to protect U.S. personnel in the area and to protect refugees who have fled to the Sinjar Mountain region to avoid the fighting.
• Obama: Iraq Strikes to 'Take Some Time' VOA 09 Aug 2014 -- President Barack Obama says the U.S. military's airstrikes in Iraq have successfully destroyed arms and equipment that Islamic State militants could have used against the Kurdish capital of Irbil.
• Obama Vows to Protect Americans, Provide Humanitarian Aid in Iraq AFPS 09 Aug 2014 -- Two days after authorizing targeted U.S. airstrikes in Iraq, President Barack Obama today said that while the United States will continue to do "whatever is needed" to protect Americans in the country, he will not allow the nation to become involved in another full-blown war there.
• New U.S. Aid Drop Amid Fresh Air Strikes In Northern Iraq RFE/RL 09 Aug 2014 -- The United States has conducted its second air drop of food and water to thousands of Iraqis hiding in mountains from Islamist militants./li>
• Statement by the President on Iraq The White House 09 Aug 2014
• Weekly Address: American Operations in Iraq The White House 09 Aug 2014
• Background Briefing by Senior Administration Officials on Iraq The White House 08 Aug 2014
• Update on Humanitarian Assistance Operations Near Sinjar, Iraq DoD 08 Aug 2014 -- Tonight, the U.S. military conducted another successful airdrop of food and water for thousands of Iraqi citizens threatened by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on Mount Sinjar, Iraq.
• Explainer: The Yazidi Minority In Iraq RFE/RL 08 Aug 2014 -- Islamic militants this week encircled thousands of members of the Yazidi minority in northern Iraq, prompting the Obama administration to carry out humanitarian air drops to the refugees who fled their homes to Mount Sinjar. Here are answers to six questions about the Yazidi people, religion, and history.
• Northern Iraq: UN voices concern about civilians' safety, need for humanitarian aid UN News Centre 08 Aug 2014 -- Gravely concerned for the physical safety of civilians in northern Iraq and the humanitarian situation in areas now controlled by the group, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the United Nations human rights office today called on the international community and the Governments of Iraq and the Kurdistan region to protect people affected by the fighting.
• Iraq's Displaced Top One Million VOA 08 Aug 2014 -- The International Organization for Migration reports fighting in Iraq between Islamic State rebels and Kurdish Peshmerga military has pushed the number of internally displaced people in Iraq to over one million. IOM says this is the highest number of IDPs in Iraq since the Islamist advance began in January.
• Obama Authorizes Targeted Air Strikes In Iraq RFE/RL 08 Aug 2014 -- U.S. President Barack Obama says he has authorized the military to carry out air strikes in Iraq against Islamic militants, if needed, to protect U.S. military and diplomatic personnel and in the northern city of Irbil.
• Interview: Analyst Predicts U.S. Air Strikes A 'Short-Term Measure' In Iraq RFE/RL 08 Aug 2014 -- The United States has ordered warplanes back into the Iraqi skies to help halt the advance of Islamic State militants.
• Statement on Iraq by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel DoD 07 Aug 2014
• Statement By Senators John McCain And Lindsey Graham On President Obama's Announcement Of Military Strikes Against ISIS In Iraq Office of Sen. McCain 07 Aug 2014 -- U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) today released the following statement on President Obama’s announcement of humanitarian aid to Iraqi civilians and military strikes against ISIS in Iraq
• UN calls for urgent response to help thousands in northern Iraq displaced by militants' advance UN News Centre 07 Aug 2014 -- As Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorists continue to overrun areas of northern Iraq, the United Nations has begun coordinating humanitarian assistance for displaced vulnerable ethnic and religious minorities, while Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling on the international community to support Iraq and help the Government alleviate the suffering of all those impacted by the spiralling violence.
• Obama Authorizes Air Strikes in Iraq VOA 07 Aug 2014 -- President Barack Obama says America “is coming to help” thousands of Iraqis who are trapped and threatened by Islamist militants, and has authorized air strikes and humanitarian flights over northern Iraq.
• Statement by the President The White House 07 Aug 2014 -- "Today I authorized two operations in Iraq -- targeted airstrikes to protect our American personnel, and a humanitarian effort to help save thousands of Iraqi civilians who are trapped on a mountain without food and water and facing almost certain death. Let me explain the actions we’re taking and why."
• 40,000 Iraqi Yazidis stranded over ISIL threats: UNICEF Iran Press TV 07 Aug 2014 -- The United Nations (UN) says that some 40,000 Iraqis from the minority Yazidi population have become stranded on a mountain in the country's northwest amid violence by ISIL Takfiri militants.
• Islamic Militants Seize Christian Towns In Northern Iraq RFE/RL 07 Aug 2014 -- Militants from the Islamic State have seized Iraq's largest Christian town and surrounding areas in northern Iraq, prompting the exodus of tens of thousands of people.
• Iraqi Militants Take Over Christian Town VOA 07 Aug 2014 -- Islamist extremists seized more territory in northern Iraq Thursday, capturing the country's largest dam and taking over several predominantly Christian towns. Thousands of residents were forced to flee.
• No American Military Solutions in Iraq, White House Says VOA 07 Aug 2014 -- White House spokesman Josh Earnest declined to confirm a report published by The New York Times Thursday, that said U.S. President Barack Obama is considering airstrikes and emergency relief airdrops to help 40,000 religious minorities in Iraq who are trapped on a mountaintop after threats by Islamic militants.
• 100 Syrians killed in five days in N Lebanon: Report Iran Press TV 06 Aug 2014 -- Five days of clashes with the ISIL Takfiri terrorists have left at least 100 Syrian refugees dead or injured in the Lebanese border town of Arsal, opposition sources say.
• Iraq forces, Peshmerga kill 240 ISIL terrorists Iran Press TV 06 Aug 2014 -- Soldiers of the Iraqi army have inflicted heavy losses on the ISIL Takfiri terrorists in separate clashes around the militant-held city of Mosul.
• ISIL Takfiri terrorists continue attacks against Iraqi Christian Iran Press TV 06 Aug 2014 -- Militants from the Takfiri ISIL cult in Iraq have continued their assaults on Christian areas in the northern parts of the country, eyewitnesses say.
• US Sanctions 3 Over Funding in Kuwait for Islamic Militants VOA 06 Aug 2014 -- The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on three men it said funneled money from Kuwait to Islamic militant groups in Iraq and Syria.
• Kurdish Fighters, Islamic Militants Clash In Northern Iraq RFE/RL 06 Aug 2014 -- Kurdish forces and militants of the Islamic State have battled each other only 40 kilometers from the Kurdish regional capital of Irbil.
• UN Warns Islamic State About Crimes Against Humanity VOA 06 Aug 2014 -- The United Nations Security Council has warned the Islamic State extremist group that it could be held accountable for crimes against humanity for its persecution of minorities in Iraq.
• ISIS Advance in Iraq Leaves Thousands on Brink of Humanitarian Catastrophe RIA Novosti 05 Aug 2014 -- The advance of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group in Northern Iraq has displaced about 200,000 people, most of them coming from the Yazidi ethnic minority.
• Iraq: UN expresses 'extreme concern' as Sinjar violence reportedly claims lives of 40 children UN News Centre 05 Aug 2014 -- The United Nations children's agency (UNICEF) expressed "extreme concern" today over reports that some 40 children from northern Iraq's Yazidi minority group died as a result of the violence being carried out in the Sinjar region by militants belonging to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and other armed groups.
• Iraq PM Orders Air Force To Back Kurds Fighting Islamists RFE/RL 04 Aug 2014 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has ordered the air force to provide support to Kurdish Peshmerga forces battling Islamist militants in the north of the country.
• ISIL capture of Iraqi town sparks human crisis: UN Iran Press TV 03 Aug 2014 -- The United Nations says the capture of the Iraqi town of Sinjar by Takfiri ISIL terrorists has sparked a "humanitarian tragedy."
• ISIL terrorists capture 3 Iraqi towns Iran Press TV 03 Aug 2014 -- Takfiri ISIL terrorists have captured three small towns in northern Iraq after driving Kurdish security forces out of the towns.
• UN warns of 'humanitarian tragedy' as militants seize town in northern Iraq UN News Centre 03 Aug 2014 -- The capture of the town of Sinjar in northern Iraq by militants belonging to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and other armed groups has displaced as many as 200,000 people and set off a 'humanitarian tragedy', the United Nations envoy to the crisis-gripped country warned today.
• Kurdish Forces Suffer Major Losses Against Islamic State VOA 03 Aug 2014 -- Sunni Islamic State militants pursued their advance in the north of Iraq Sunday, capturing strategic territory close to the Turkish and Syrian borders, including Iraq's biggest dam, an oil field and two more towns.
• Iran dismisses report on dispatch of elite force to Iraqi Kurdistan IRNA 01 Aug 2014 -- An informed source in the Foreign Ministry denied a news by an Arab-language newspaper that Irans special forces have entered Iraqs Kurdistan region.
• US Authorities Impose Restrictions on Flights Over Iraq RIA Novosti 01 Aug 2014 -- The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) restricted US airlines from flying below 30,000 feet over Iraq amid dangers posed by continuing fighting in the country.
• Iraq: UN envoy urges greater civilian protection as fighting continues to take heavy toll UN News Centre 01 Aug 2014 -- The top United Nations envoy to Iraq today called for greater efforts to protect civilians amid the ongoing fighting, as the latest casualty figures show that nearly 1,200 civilians were killed in the month of July, while another 1,500 were injured.