Iraq: Shia Cleric Issues Threat To US Forces

A Shia cleric loyal to anti-US cleric Moqtada al Sadr has warned that the 300 US military advisers en route to Iraq will be attacked.

In a sermon from Baghdad's Sadr City district, Nassir al Saedi threatened what he called "the occupier", saying: "We will be ready for you if you are back."

The warning comes after President Barack Obama announced the deployment of US military advisers, made up mostly of special forces.

Their aim is to help the Iraqi government in its fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the group of Sunni extremists who have seized cities and towns across northern Iraq.

Mr Obama is deploying 300 military advisers as pressure mounts on Mr Maliki

Al Saedi's threats highlight a potentially dangerous secondary front for US forces heading to Iraq. Moqtada al Sadr's militia fought the Americans in at least two rounds of street warfare during the eight years US troops were on the ground there.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday urged the Iraqi government and its supporters not to retaliate against Sunni communities in revenge for ISIS' "barbaric attacks".

He warned that any possible airstrikes against the Islamist militants "might have little lasting effect or even be counter-productive" if Iraq's feuding communities fail to unite against the terrorists.

Embattled Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki has asked the US to launch airstrikes to contain the militant group.

On Thursday, Mr Obama said "targeted" military action remained an option in Iraq, but said US forces on the ground would not take part in combat operations.

Mr Maliki, a Shia Muslim, has come under mounting criticism for failing to halt ISIS in its tracks.

Iraq's Shia religious leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani, who had previously called for all Iraqis to join the fight against the militants, has now called for a new "effective" government.

He urged the newly-elected parliament to start work without delay after the results of recent elections were ratified by Iraq's federal court.

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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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Africa 'Must Unite' To Stop Boko Haram Spread

Boko Haram Snatches Young Boys Across Border

Updated: 10:47am UK, Thursday 19 June 2014

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent, in Cameroon

The Nigerian-born Islamic militant group Boko Haram is terrorising communities inside neighbouring Cameroon and snatching young boys from across the border and forcing them to join the sect.

We saw abandoned villages and burned-out schools inside Cameroon, despite the presence of hundreds of troops including some of the country's top soldiers from the elite rapid response unit Battalion D'Intervention Rapide (BIR).

The huge 1,243-mile (2,000km) border with Nigeria is mostly unmanned and un-policed, allowing Boko Haram to cross over and mount attacks inside Cameroon with horrifying regularity.

Soldiers from the BIR are desperately trying to stop the spread of Boko Haram in their country.

But the sect, which appears to be trying to create an Islamic fundamentalist belt across West Africa, continues to wreak terror and destruction all along the border.

Nigeria has accused Cameroon of not doing enough and has said Boko Haram fighters and leaders are using the country as a safe haven.

But the country's military leaders insist that is not the case.

Cameroon Defence Ministry spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Badjeck told us: "They are not in Cameroon. Why would we allow that? This is bad for Cameroon.

"We are suffering, too, at the hands of Boko Haram."

He said the country may have reacted slowly to the Boko Haram threat but had reacted as soon as they realised it was growing and encroaching into Cameroon.

There are now hundreds of troops including those from the elite BIR unit, in the north.

The border lines are often difficult to decipher with no markings or obvious difference between the two countries.

In the town of Amchide, the border cuts right through the town with roughly two-thirds of the town under Nigerian control and the remaining third in Cameroon territory.

We were with the elite unit as soldiers patrolled through the town and up to a rope across the road which signalled the end of Cameroon land.

About 100 metres away, some Nigerian soldiers cheerily greeted their counterparts.

There appears to be much more cordial relations on the ground among the foot soldiers than there is between their respective political masters.

In other communities, the villagers told us how Boko Haram militants stormed in during the day, trying to snatch young boys to add to their recruits.

One young lad told us how he was approached by the militants as he worked in the fields.

They at first tried to persuade him to join them. When he refused, the situation turned ugly but somehow he managed to run away.

The eyes of the world are on Syria and Iraq at the moment as the Islamic militants there shock with their brutal attempts to wrestle control of swathes of both countries.

But according to the Cameroon military, the Islamic militants of Boko Haram are fighting a similar terror campaign in West Africa.

The sect is spreading across the northeast of its own country but also spilling over into its neighbours.

Cameroon, with its long, unchecked border, is possibly most vulnerable.

And so far, despite the attempts of even some of its top soldiers, the Boko Haram fighters, far from being defeated, appear to be growing in strength and numbers.

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Iraq: Obama To Send 300 Military Advisers

President Barack Obama has said he is sending up to 300 military advisers to help the Iraqi government in its fight against Islamic extremists as a battle over Iraq's biggest refinery continues to rage.

Speaking at the White House last night, Mr Obama said he was prepared to take "targeted" military action but stressed that US troops would not return to combat in Iraq.

He said additional equipment and up to 300 additional military advisers would be provided to help battle the Islamic extremist group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), which has seized large swathes of the country.

The contingent will be made up of special forces and will staff joint operations centres for intelligence sharing and planning, officials said.

"American forces will not be returning to combat in Iraq but we will help Iraqis as they take the fight to terrorists who threaten the Iraqi people, the region and American interests as well," Mr Obama said.

US military advisers will be sent into Iraq to help Iraqi forces

The president also said he was sending Secretary of State John Kerry to the Middle East and Europe at the weekend for talks with US allies and partners on ways to stabilise the region.

A US official added Mr Kerry was "expected to go Iraq soon" to meet Iraqi officials, but did not specify a date.

Mr Obama stressed Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki needed to take urgent steps to heal Iraq's sectarian rift, but stopped short of calling for him to go, saying: "It's not our job to choose Iraq's leaders."

He added: "Above all, Iraqi leaders must rise above their differences and come together around a political plan for Iraq's future."

Leading US lawmakers have joined calls for Mr al Maliki to quit as a condition of US help in driving back the Islamic extremists.

The call for Nouri al Maliki to quit as a condition of US help is growing

Sunni tribal chief Sheik Ali Hatem al Suleiman, the emir of the Sunni Dulaim tribe from Anbar province, said Mr Obama could no longer rely on Mr al Maliki to solve the rising insurgency.

He said: "I think that most of President Obama's speech, but not all of it, was shallow and didn't address the heart of the matter.

"It talked about participation, it talked about a national government, but you can't come to Iraq with a speech that doesn't address the truth of the problem.

"And the real problem in Iraq is al Maliki himself.? I don't think Obama's speech addressed the reality of today's Iraq.

"You can't rely on him. The man has become paralysed."

Mr al Suleiman also criticised Mr Obama's decision to send 300 military advisers to Iraq.

"Three hundred advisors just when you withdraw these 300 advisors, Iraq will lose its balance for one reason?"

The Baiji oil refinery has been the scene of fierce fighting

As Mr Obama announced his most significant response to the Iraqi crisis, the sprawling Baiji refinery, 130 miles (200km) north of the capital near Tikrit, was transformed into a battlefield.

Troops loyal to the Shia-led government held off the ISIS insurgents and their allies who had stormed the perimeter a day earlier, threatening national energy supplies.

A government spokesman said at one point on Thursday that Iraqi forces were in "complete control", but a witness in Baiji said fighting was continuing. 

Two Iraqi helicopters tried to land in the refinery but were unable to because of insurgent gunfire, and most of the refinery remained under rebel control, witnesses said.

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.

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Boko Haram Threat Spreads Into Cameroon

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent, in Cameroon

The Nigerian-born Islamic militant group Boko Haram is terrorising communities inside neighbouring Cameroon and snatching young boys from across the border and forcing them to join the sect.

We saw abandoned villages and burned out schools inside Cameroon, despite the presence of hundreds of troops including some of the country's top soldiers from the elite rapid response unit, Battalion D'Intervention Rapide (BIR).

The huge 1,243 mile (2,000km) border with Nigeria is mostly unmanned and un-policed allowing Boko Haram to cross over and mount attacks inside Cameroon with horrifying regularity.

Soldiers from the BIR are desperately trying to stop the spread of Boko Haram in their country.

But the sect, which appears to be trying to create an Islamic fundamentalist belt across West Africa, continues to wreak terror and destruction all along the border.

Nigeria has accused Cameroon of not doing enough and has said Boko Haram fighters and leaders are using the country as a safe haven.

Boko Haram militants have hit border communities in Cameroon

But the country's military leaders insist that is not the case.

Cameroon Defence Ministry spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Badjeck, told us: "They are not in Cameroon. Why would we allow that? This is bad for Cameroon.

"We are suffering too at the hands of Boko Haram."

He said the country may have reacted slowly to the Boko Haram threat but had reacted as soon as they realised it was growing and encroaching into Cameroon.

There are now hundreds of troops including those from the elite BIR unit, up to the north.

The border lines are often difficult to decipher with no markings or obvious difference between the two countries.

Alex Crawford is with the elite Camerooon unit BIR as it fights extremists

In the town of Amchide, the border cuts right through the town with roughly two-thirds of the town under Nigerian control and the remaining third in Cameroon territory.

We were with the elite unit as soldiers patrolled through the town and up to a rope across the road which signalled the end of Cameroon land.

About 100 metres away, some Nigerian soldiers cheerily greeted their counterparts.

There appears to be much more cordial relations on the ground amongst the foot soldiers than there is between their respective political masters.

In other communities, the villagers told us how Boko Haram militants stormed in during the day, trying to snatch young boys to add to their recruits.

One young lad told us how he was approached by the militants as he worked in the fields.

They at first tried to persuade him to join them. When he refused, the situation turned ugly but somehow he managed to run away.

The eyes of the world are on Syria and Iraq at the moment as the Islamic militants there shock with their brutal attempts to wrestle control of swathes of both countries.

But according to the Cameroon military, the Islamic militants of Boko Haram are fighting a similar terror campaign in West Africa.

The sect is spreading across the northeast of its own country but also spilling over into its neighbours.

Cameroon, with its long, unchecked border, is possibly most vulnerable.

And so far, despite the attempts of even some of its top soldiers, the Boko Haram fighters, far from being defeated, appear to be growing in strength and numbers.

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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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Al Shabaab 'Not To Blame For Kenya Attacks'

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta says al Shabaab militants are not to blame for two attacks that killed 64 people, despite the terror group claiming responsibility for the raids.

The Somalia-based group claimed its gunmen carried out the attacks in the town of Mpeketoni on Sunday night and at a nearby village early on Tuesday.

But Mr Kenyatta dismissed the claims, instead blaming unidentified "hate-mongers" for the violence.

"The attack in Lamu was well planned, orchestrated and politically motivated ethnic violence against the Kenyan community," he said.

"This, therefore, was not an al Shabaab terrorist attack. Evidence indicates local political networks were involved in the planning and execution of the heinous crime.

"This also played into the opportunist network of other criminal gangs."

Majembeni and Mpeketoni are in Lamu County, Kenya, close to Somalia

Blaming domestic rivals could ease pressure on the Kenyan government, which has faced strong criticism about its handling of security in recent months.

In Sunday's attack, gunmen stormed Mpeketoni, which lies near the popular tourist attraction of Lamu town, and killed 49 people.

Some 24 hours later, gunmen raided nearby Poromoko village, going through the town and ordering residents to recite an Islamic creed, according to witnesses.

Al Shabaab military operations spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab threatened the onslaught would continue and said: "We raided villages around Mpeketoni again last night. Our operations in Kenya will continue."

Interior cabinet secretary Joseph Ole Lenku described the attacks as "unfortunate", adding that the perpetrators must be held accountable.

Al Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked group which carried out an attack on a shopping mall in Nairobi last year, said the first attack was a revenge for attacks inside Somalia by Kenyan forces.

Foreign tourists have been warned to stay out of Kenya.

Lamu had previously been popular with foreign visitors, but tourism has been suffering in recent years because of increasing violence.

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PM Crisis Talks On Threat From ISIS Militants

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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Kenya: 48 Dead As World Cup Screening Hit

Al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for attacks on hotels and bars in Kenya in which 48 people have been killed.

A group of gunmen entered the western coastal town of Mpeketoni on minibuses and started "shooting people around in town", the interior ministry said.

Football fans watching a World Cup game were targeted, while three hotels, a bank and a petrol station were also hit.

The Kenyan government confirmed 48 people were killed.

The gunmen entered the town in three vehicles. Pic: Dihoff Mukotu/eNCA

A statement for Al Shabaab, Somalia's al Qaeda-linked insurgents, said the attack was revenge for the "Kenyan government's brutal oppression of Muslims".

It added: "Foreigners with any regard for their safety and security should stay away from Kenya or suffer the bitter consequences of their folly. You have been forewarned!"

The assault began at around 8pm on Sunday, with gunshots reported up to four hours later.

"The attackers were so many and were all armed with guns," witness Meshack Kimani told Reuters. "They entered the video hall where we were watching a World Cup match and shot indiscriminately at us.

"They targeted only men but I was lucky, I escaped by hiding behind the door."

Other witnesses said the gunmen targeted non-Muslims and those who did not speak Somali.

A police station was among the buildings attacked. Pic: Dihoff Mukotu/eNCA

District deputy commissioner Benson Maisori said: "There were around 50 attackers, heavily armed in three vehicles, and they were flying the Shabaab flag.

"They were shouting in Somali and shouting 'Allahu Akbar' (God is Greatest)."

Some 20 buildings were reportedly gutted after a series of fires were started.

The Kenyan government said the nearby settlement of Kibaoni was also raided.

Sunday's assault was the worst in Kenya since last September, when al Shabaab gunmen attacked Nairobi's Westgate shopping mall, leaving 67 dead.

Nairobi's Gikomba Market was the scene of a deadly bomb attack in May

Mpeketoni lies on the mainland some 20 miles (30km) southwest of Lamu island, a popular tourist destination and Unesco World Heritage site.

The Kenya Tourism Board said the latest attack took place in an area with no international tourist facilities and that no tourists were in the area when the gunmen struck.

In May, explosions in Nairobi and Mombasa followed a decision by Britain, the US, France and Australia to issue warnings about travel to the east African country.

At least 400 tourists cut short their holidays and left hotels along the Indian Ocean coast.

Kenya called the alerts "unfriendly", saying they would increase panic and play into the hands of those behind the gun and grenade assaults.

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Iraq: US Troops Deployed To Protect Embassy

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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'Islamist' Gunmen Attack In Kenya: '26 Dead'

Suspected Islamist insurgents in Kenya have raided a police station and "set on fire" at least three hotels and a petrol station, reportedly killing at least 26 people.

The group of gunmen entered the western coastal town of Mpeketoni and started "shooting people around in town", the interior ministry said.

The assault began at around 8pm on Sunday, with gunshots reported up to four hours later.

Cafes and bars were reported to have been busy with people watching the World Cup on television.

It was not immediately clear how many attackers were involved.

Area police chief Hamaton Mwaliko said: "Attackers hijacked a van from Witu town which they used for the attacks. They raided Mpeketoni police station first and opened fire.

"Some hotels in the town are on fire. We don't know how many casualties are there for now. We understand the attackers have already fled but our officers are pursuing them."

Local government official Benson Maisori told the AFP news agency: "So far we have collected over 26 bodies and taken them to the mortuary, but we are still looking for more."

Kenyan army spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir said the "assailants (were) likely to be al Shabaab", Somalia's al Qaeda-linked insurgents.

Nairobi's Gikomba Market was the scene of a deadly bomb attack in May

However, no group has claimed responsibility.

Kenya has seen a drop in tourists in recent months following a string of gun and grenade attacks blamed on al Shabaab, Somalia's al Qaeda-linked insurgents, or its sympathisers.

Mpeketoni lies on the mainland some 20 miles (30km) southwest of Lamu island, a popular tourist destination.

Al Shabaab, which has fought a bloody seven-year campaign to impose its interpretation of Islamic law inside Somalia, has said it wants to take revenge for Kenya's deployment of troops in the Horn of Africa nation.

In May, explosions in Nairobi and Mombasa led Britain, the US, France and Australia to issue warnings about travel to the east African country.

At least 400 tourists cut short their holidays and left hotels along the Indian Ocean coast.

Kenya called the alerts "unfriendly", saying they would increase panic and play into the hands of those behind the gun and grenade assaults.

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US Condemns Online Iraq 'Massacre' Pictures

The US has condemned the massacre of hundreds of Iraqi soldiers by Islamic militants after graphic pictures of their deaths were posted online.

Tweets associated with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) claimed the insurgents had killed 1,700 Shia soldiers.

The images 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.

Jen Psaki, spokeswoman for the US State Department, said: "The claim by ISIS that it has massacred 1,700 Iraqi Shia air force recruits in Tikrit is horrifying and a true depiction of the bloodlust that these terrorists represent.

"While we cannot confirm these reports, one of the primary goals of ISIL is to set fear into the hearts of all Iraqis and drive sectarian division among its people."

Militants have posted images purportedly showing the massacre of soldiers

She added that the US will evacuate some of its staff and boost security at its embassy - located in Baghdad's Green Zone - due to "ongoing instability".

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

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

He said: "We will march and liberate every inch they defaced, from the country's northernmost point to the southernmost point."

Peshmerga soldiers on patrol in northern Iraq

Security in Baghdad has been tightened after the militants said they would march south to the capital.

But three explosions have left at least 15 people dead and dozens injured.

Iraqi security forces also claimed to have killed 279 "terrorists" in the last 24 hours.

The US is reportedly preparing to stage direct talks with Iran, set to begin next week, over the situation in Iraq, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The White House, while declining to comment on the report, did not deny it.

Aircraft carrier the USS George Bush has arrived in the Persian Gulf as President Barack Obama considers possible military action against ISIS.

ISIS insurgents have been attacking the city of Tal Afar in northern Iraq, using rockets seized from military arms depots.

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Ukrainian Aircraft Shot Down By Separatists

Pro-Russian separatists have shot down an army transport plane in eastern Ukraine, killing 49 servicemen and dealing a massive blow to the campaign to defeat the rebels.

President Petro Poroshenko has summoned his security chiefs for meetings and promised an "adequate" response after the aircraft was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile as it came in to land at Luhansk airport.

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the telephone with French leader Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who both expressed "extreme concern" over the violence and called for a ceasefire.

A separatist gathers ammunition at the site of the crash

US Secretary of State John Kerry also expressed "strong concern" during a phone call with Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and said the US and G7 would "raise costs for Russia" if it does not end the flow of weapons across the border.

Declaring Sunday a day of mourning for the nine crew and 40 paratroopers killed, Mr Poroshenko said: "All those involved in cynical acts of terrorism of this magnitude must be punished."

It is the biggest loss of life suffered by government forces in a single incident since Kiev began a military operation to try to defeat the pro-Russia insurgency in east Ukraine.

The incident is likely to fuel tension between Russia and Ukraine's main ally, the United States, which has accused Moscow of arming the rebels.

Everyone on board was killed

The plane came down overnight near Novohannivka, a village 12 miles (20km) southeast of Luhansk, close to the Russian border.

Charred debris was scattered for hundreds of metres over sloping wheat fields. The tail section jutted up from the ground, with sections of the engine, fuselage and other parts scattered around it.

Rebel forces wearing camouflage fatigues scoured through the wreckage for ammunition that was intended for government forces.

"This is how we work. The fascists can bring as many reinforcements as they want but we will do this every time. We will talk to them on our own terms," said a stocky 50-year-old rebel who identified himself as Pyotr, his name de guerre.

Rebels claimed to have shot down a fighter jet over the city of Slavyansk on Saturday, although this has not been confirmed.

Government forces, who hold the airport, attacked rebel positions near the airfield with jets soon after day broke, local residents said.

Luhansk is close to the Russian border

Ukrainian forces reclaimed the city of Mariupol on Friday, a major port for the export of steel.

Ukraine and Russia have begun talks on a peace plan despite the continuing violence.

A rebellion has been raging in east Ukraine since April, with separatists agitating for Russia to absorb the Russian-speaking east after the annexation of Crimea in March.

Russia denies being behind the uprising and the rebels say they get weapons from army stockpiles.

The US State Department said on Friday that Russia had sent tanks, heavy weapons and rocket launchers to Ukraine in recent days.

Spokeswoman Marie Harf said a convoy of three T-64 tanks, several MB-21 "or Grad" multiple rocket launchers and other military vehicles had crossed the border in the last three days.

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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.

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