According to the White House, an American citizen was killed in Syria where he was reportedly fighting alongside jihadis of the Islamic State (IS). 33-year old Douglas McArthur lived in California and was an aspiring rapper before he joined the Islamic State overseas before he flew to Syria to join Islamic State fighters. McCain was one of three foreign-born jihadists, including a Tunisian … [Read more...]
Tabqa Airbase Taken by Islamic State Militants
A key Syrian government airbase has fallen in the hands of Islamic State militants after heavy fighting had been taking place around the airbase. The Tabqa airbase had represented the last stronghold of Bashar al-Assad’s government in the Raqqa province. After intense fighting around the Tabqa base that resulted in the death of hundreds of fighters on both sides, government forces have finally … [Read more...]
Iraq Bombings in Baghdad and Kirkuk End with 30 Casualties
As the Iraqi government was investigating the deadly attacks that took place on Friday at the Sunni mosque, new bombings in Baghdad and Kirkuk ended with the deaths of 30 people on Saturday. Three bombs went off in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk (which has been a reason of dispute between Baghdad and the Kurdish regional government). They were set in a crowded commercial district and apart from … [Read more...]
While U.S. Attacks Iraqi Militants, Obama Condemns the Murder of Reporter
After the beheading of the American journalist by Islamist extremists, U.S. President Barack Obama expressed his revulsion at the violence of the IS group and vowed that the United States would do all in its power to protect its citizens. The American President went on to describe the IS group as a cancer that revolves around a bankrupt ideology. On Wednesday, the Pentagon released information … [Read more...]
United States Launch New Airstrikes to Retake Iraqi Dam
On Saturday, the U.S. launched new airstrikes directed at the Islamic State in order to retake the country’s largest dam that is currently under their control near Irbil. The IS captured the Dam at Mosul last month during its swift and deadly attacks across the northern part of the country. This new series of U.S. –led airstrikes had a mix of American fighter aircrafts and remotely-piloted … [Read more...]
Yazidi Men at the Mercy of Islamic State Fighters
Saturday marked a horrific day when countless Yazidi men were shot by Islamic State extremists after they were lined up in groups. Islamic State fighters opened fire on the Yazidi men and killed them with assault rifles, only to abduct their wives and children later. The mass killings in Kocho were a testimony to the fact that the Iraqi people are still at risk in spite of the U.S. and Iraqi … [Read more...]
Kurdish Forces Ask for International Help in Fighting off IS Militants
The situation in Iraq is constantly escalating and Kurdish forces have urged allies to help in their battle of defending their country from the advances of Islamic State militants. The Kurds have explained that they are outgunned and that it’s precisely because of their lack of weapons that IS militants are taking control of large areas of Iraq. After having defeated Iraqi troops that abandoned … [Read more...]
Mount Sinjar Still Host to Tens of Thousands of Yazidis
In spite of President Obama’s statement in which he explained that U.S. involvement wouldn’t be required to help rescue the Yazidis that are still trapped on the mountain, it seems that many refugees are simply unable to reach safety unaided. As the Yazidis who are still on mount Sinjar are either elderly, very young or sick, there isn’t much hope that those who are too weak to complete the trek … [Read more...]
European Union Considering a Scale Up in Iraq Involvement
In the light of recent events taking place in Iraq and the quick measures that the U.S. military has undertaken to ensure that Sinjar refugees are helped, the E.U. is also considering scaling up its involvement in Iraq. On Friday, an emergency meeting is planned so that foreign ministers can analyze the crisis and decide on a course of action. France has already announced its decision to ship … [Read more...]
Yazidi Rescue from Mt. Sinjar Could Require U.S. Troop Involvement
The U.S. dispatched 130 special advisers to Iraq so that they could assess the situation in which the religious minorities on Mt. Sinjar find themselves and develop a rescue plan that would have them seen to safety. Ben Rhodes, National Security Council spokesman, explained that the Obama administration is concerned with the safety of the Iraqis that have been trapped on the mountain. As such, … [Read more...]
