Home Tags Posts tagged with "isis"
isis
President Barack Obama’s plan to train and arm the moderate Syrian opposition fighting on Islamic State (ISIS) has been approved by the US House of Representatives.
The vote passed by a large majority in the Republican-controlled House and is expected to be adopted in the Senate.
The endorsement came after President Barack Obama repeated that he would not be committing American combat troops to ground operations in Iraq.
The US has undertaken 174 air strikes against ISIS in Iraq since mid-August.
The jihadist group controls large areas of Syria and northern Iraq.
In the most recent air strikes on September 16 and 17, US forces destroyed two ISIS armed vehicles north-west of Irbil and several units south-west of Baghdad, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).
Barack Obama’s new strategy plans similar attacks in Syria and calls on a coalition of 40 countries to confront the militant group.
President Barack Obama repeated that he would not be committing American combat troops to ground operations in Iraq
This vote was expected to pass easily. Republicans, who control the House, generally support Barack Obama’s strategy to defeat and degrade Islamic State.
But the more hawkish among them feel the plan falls short. They argue that the president should consider sending US combat troops to Syria and Iraq – something he has said he is not prepared to do.
Some lawmakers from both parties feel skeptical that the Syrian rebels are up to the job.
At a Senate committee hearing, they pressed Secretary of State John Kerry for assurances that the Syrian fighters would be properly vetted so that, in future, American weapons don’t fall into the wrong hands.
On September 17, the House of Representatives approved his $500 million request by 273 votes to 156 to help arm and train moderate rebels in Syria.
The provision has been added to spending legislation aimed at extending federal government operations beyond the end of September.
Earlier, Barack Obama said he would not commit “to fighting another ground war in Iraq”, while visiting a military base in Florida.
[youtube o3S3IJr9Psw 650]
The US troops their fighting Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Iraq will not have a combat mission, President Barack Obama has told an audience on September 17.
Barack Obama said he would not commit “to fighting another ground war in Iraq”.
The president said the US had the “unique abilities” to respond to ISIS, including air support for Iraqi and Kurdish fighters on the ground.
The US has already undertaken 162 air strikes against IS in Iraq since mid-August.
Barack Obama’s new strategy allows similar attacks in Syria, and calls on a coalition of 40 countries to confront the militant group.
The president’s reassurance to soldiers at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, came a day after a top US general suggested he would recommend US ground troops in the fight against ISIS if the international campaign of air strikes failed.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Martin Dempsey confirmed that under the current plan, US military advisers would help the Iraqi army to plan attacks against ISIS, also known as ISIL.
President Barack Obama has told an audience of US troops their comrades fighting ISIS militants in Iraq will not have a combat mission
The jihadist group controls large areas of Syria and northern Iraq. It has between 20,000 and 31,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria, according to CIA estimates.
Barack Obama arrived overnight in Tampa, Florida, where Central Command (CENTCOM) – responsible for the Middle East and Central Asia – is based.
After briefings with top military officials, Barack Obama told an assembly of troops that “the American forces that have been deployed to Iraq do not and will not have a combat mission”.
The US would see that the group was eventually defeated, Barack Obama said: “If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.”
“We cannot do for the Iraqis what they must do for themselves,” he said, adding other countries would help with both air support and training.
“After a decade of massive ground deployments it is more effective to use our unique capabilities in support of our partners on the ground so they can secure their own countries’ futures,” Barack Obama said.
Barack Obama highlighted partner countries like France and the UK, which were already flying reconnaissance flights in Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, which has agreed to host a US-led training program for Syrian rebel groups fighting ISIS.
“Our armed forces are unparalleled and unique,” Barack Obama said.
“So when we’ve got a big problem somewhere around the world, it falls on our shoulders.”
Meanwhile, Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi rejected as “out of the question” the possibility that foreign ground troops would be allowed to fight in his country.
[youtube H_a2ZTzgdPw 650]
Thirty countries taking part in a major conference in Paris talks have pledged to help Iraq fight Islamic State (ISIS) militants “by all means necessary”.
A joint statement by the foreign ministers said support would include “appropriate military assistance”.
The talks had been called to agree a strategy to combat the group, which controls large parts of Iraq and Syria.
The conference followed a whirlwind tour of the Middle East by US Secretary of State John Kerry.
John Kerry, who attended the summit, has been drumming up support for a plan of action unveiled by President Barack Obama last week.
The murder of British aid worker David Haines by ISIS militants, shown in a video released by the group on September 13, has added momentum to the plans.
Opening the summit, French President Francois Hollande said the threat posed by ISIS militants needed a global response.
The CIA estimates that Islamic State – formerly known as ISIS – has between 20,000 and 31,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
Iraqi President Fuad Masum, who co-hosted the conference with Francois Hollande, said the international community must pursue the jihadists “quickly”.
Thirty countries taking part in a major conference in Paris talks have pledged to help Iraq fight ISIS militants by all means necessary (photo AP)
“If this intervention and support to Iraq is late, that means that Islamic State could occupy more territory and the threat it poses will be even bigger,” he said.
The summit closed a few hours later with a joint statement saying the participants were “committed to supporting the new Iraqi government in its fight… by any means necessary, including appropriate military assistance”.
Earlier, France said it had begun surveillance flights over Iraq. Britain revealed in August that its aircraft had been gathering intelligence over Iraq.
Several Arab countries have offered to take part in air strikes on IS fighters in Iraq, US officials say.
Turkey, however, will only allow humanitarian and logistical operations from the NATO air base on its soil.
John Kerry said he was “extremely encouraged” by promises of military assistance to tackle the militant group.
The US strategy to weaken the group centers on military support for Iraq but also includes plans to stop foreign fighters from joining the group, cutting its funding streams and trying to counter its ideology.
The Paris conference was aimed at defining the role each member state will play.
About 40 countries have so far signed up to a coalition including 10 Arab states – Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia – and the United Arab Emirates.
Neither Iran nor Syria are being allowed to take part.
Last week John Kerry ruled out co-operation with Iran citing its “engagement in Syria and elsewhere”.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed on September 15 that the US had requested Iran’s co-operation via the US Ambassador to Iraq.
“I said no, because they have dirty hands,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei added the US was seeking seeking a “pretext to do in Iraq and Syria what it already does in Pakistan – bomb anywhere without authorization”.
[youtube paKRn9SN1ig 650]
PM David Cameron said that the UK will take “whatever steps are necessary” to keep safe after a video showing the killing of hostage David Haines was issued by Islamic State (ISIS) militants.
David Cameron the UK would “hunt down” the killers of the aid worker, whom he called a “British hero”.
He said the “menace” of ISIS had to be destroyed in a “calm, deliberate” way.
In the video released by ISIS militants, they also threatened to kill a second Briton, who has been named as Alan Henning, 47.
Alan Henning, a married father-of-two from Salford, worked as a taxi driver and was a volunteer on an aid convoy.
Speaking at Downing Street after a meeting of the UK emergency committee Cobra, David Cameron said of ISIS, also known as ISIL, “they are not Muslims, they are monsters”.
“We will do everything in our power to hunt down these murderers and ensure they face justice, however long it takes.”
In the video, a masked man who appears to have a British accent was pictured beside David Haines holding a knife.
Masked ISIS militant pictured beside David Haines
David Cameron said the country was “sickened” that a Briton could have carried out the “despicable” killing.
“We cannot just walk on by if we are to keep this country safe,” he said.
“Step by step, we must drive back, dismantle and ultimately destroy ISIL and what it stands for.
“We will not do so on our own, but with working with our allies, not just in the United States and in Europe, but also in the region.”
He said the organization posed a “massive threat” to the entire Middle East and said it would be defeated through a “comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy”.
The prime minister added: “This is not about British combat troops on the ground. It is about working with others to extinguish this terrorist threat.”
US officials later said several Arab countries had offered to take part in air strikes against ISIS militants in Iraq – subject to approval from the Iraqi government.
Secretary of State John Kerry – speaking in Paris after a whirlwind tour of the Middle East trying to drum up support for action against ISIS – said he was “extremely encouraged” by such promises.
[youtube pQ2_ySducns 650]
The Islamic State (ISIS) militant group may have up to 31,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria – three times as many as previously feared, the CIA announces.
A spokesman said the new estimate was based on a review of intelligence reports from May to August 2014.
ISIS has seized vast swathes of Iraq and beheaded several hostages in recent months, leading to US airstrikes.
Secretary of State John Kerry is visiting Turkey, seeking more support for action against IS.
On September 11, 10 Arab countries agreed to help the US attack the group in both Iraq and Syria.
The CIA had previously believed that ISIS had about 10,000 fighters, spokesman Ryan Trapani said.
“This new total reflects an increase in members because of stronger recruitment since June following battlefield successes and the declaration of a caliphate, greater battlefield activity, and additional intelligence,” he added.
The revision comes a day after President Barack Obama outlined a plan to “degrade and destroy” IS and to increase military support for allied forces engaged in fighting the group.
The CIA estimates that the ISIS militant group may have up to 31,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria, three times as many as previously feared
For the first time, the president authorized airstrikes against the group in Syria.
In recent months ISIS has expanded from its stronghold in eastern Syria and seized control of more towns, cities, army bases and weaponry in Iraq.
The US has already carried out more than 150 air strikes against ISIS in Iraq. It has also sent hundreds of military advisers to assist Iraqi government and Kurdish forces, but has ruled out sending ground troops.
Other countries have contributed humanitarian assistance to Iraqis displaced by the group’s advance.
John Kerry secured the cooperation of several Arab countries during a meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Thursday.
NATO member Turkey, however, refused to sign a communiqué calling for countries to join the US in the fight against ISIS.
Analysts say this may be because the group currently holds 49 Turkish citizens, including diplomats.
John Kerry downplayed the move, saying the important US ally was dealing with some “sensitive issues”.
John Kerry is due to travel to Turkey on Friday, September 12, to try to secure more cooperation from the government.
[youtube td0m6VSI03I 650]
Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Saudi Arabia to meet key Arab leaders, as he tries to build a coalition against Islamic State (ISIS) militants.
A US official was quoted as saying John Kerry would discuss co-operation in Jeddah to facilitate US air strikes.
Earlier, President Barack Obama said he would not hesitate to take action against ISIS in Syria as well as Iraq.
Barack Obama also announced that 475 US military personnel would be sent to Iraq but said they would not have a combat role.
ISIS group controls large parts of Syria and Iraq after a rapid military advance.
Its fighters have become notorious for their brutality, beheading enemy soldiers and Western journalists on video.
Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Saudi Arabia to meet key Arab leaders, as he tries to build a coalition against ISIS militants (photo Reuters)
The US has launched over 150 air strikes against the group in Iraq and has provided arms to Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting against IS.
John Kerry, who arrived in the Red Sea port of Jeddah on September 11, will hold talks with representatives of Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich Gulf states as well as Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and NATO member Turkey.
“Many of the countries are already taking action against ISIL [Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant – the previous name for ISIS] ,” a State Department official was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
“But the trip by the secretary [John Kerry] is going to broaden the coalition and bring it into more focus and intensify the lines of effort.”
Among the issues to be discussed would be training for Syrian rebels on Saudi soil and a wider over flight permission from regional states to increase the capacity of US aircraft, reports say.
In a 15-minute speech shown at peak time in the US on September 10, President Barack Obama vowed that America would lead “a broad coalition to roll back” ISIS.
President Barack Obama has announced that the US will not hesitate to take action against Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Syria as well as Iraq.
In a nationally televised speech outlining his strategy against ISIS, Barack Obama said that any group that threatened America would “find no safe haven”.
The president also announced that 475 US military personnel would be sent to Iraq but said they would not have a combat role.
ISIS controls large parts of Syria and Iraq after a rapid military advance.
Its fighters have become notorious for their brutality, beheading enemy soldiers and Western journalists on video.
The US has launched over 150 air strikes against the group in Iraq and provided arms to Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting against IS.
In a 15-minute speech shown at peak time in the US, Barack Obama vowed that America would lead “a broad coalition to roll back” ISIS.
“Working with the Iraqi government, we will expand our efforts beyond protecting our own people and humanitarian missions, so that we’re hitting ISIL [Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant – the previous name for ISIS] targets as Iraqi forces go on the offense” he said.
Barack Obama has announced that the US will not hesitate to take action against Islamic State militants in Syria as well as Iraq (photo AFP)
He said he would welcome congressional approval for the fight against ISIS but said that he had the authority to act without it.
Barack Obama was elected in part because of fervent opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and presided over the US troop pullout from the country.
In 2013, the president abandoned plans to launch airstrikes in Syria against government forces after congressional opposition.
In his speech, Barack Obama ruled out working with President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, despite the fact that his forces are also engaged in fighting ISIS.
“In the fight against ISIL, we cannot rely on an Assad regime that terrorizes its people: a regime that will never regain the legitimacy it has lost” he said.
Instead, Barack Obama said, the US would seek to strengthen the non-ISIS Syrian opposition, which fights against both ISIS and President Bashar al-Assad.
Syria’s Western-backed National Coalition welcomed Barack Obama’s plan, and urged Congress to approve it.
“The Syrian Coalition… stands ready and willing to partner with the international community not only to defeat [ISIS] but also rid the Syrian people of the tyranny of the Assad regime,” its president Hadi al-Bahra said in a statement, quoted by Reuters news agency.
Secretary of State John Kerry is already in the Middle East trying to build a coalition against IS.
John Kerry was in Iraq on Wednesday, where he praised the new government’s plans to involve more Sunnis in government and heal ties with the Kurds.
He said the president’s strategy “will succeed because doing it with allies and partners isn’t just smart, it’s strong”.
Barack Obama has already authorized $25 million in aid for the Iraqi military.
[youtube 7130A1kva7I 650]
Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Iraq at the start of a Middle East tour to build support for action against Islamic State (ISIS).
John Kerry is due to meet new Iraqi PM Haidar al-Abadi less than 48 hours after a unity government was agreed.
An inclusive government was a condition for greater US and NATO support in the fight against ISIS militants who have taken over large parts of the country.
President Barack Obama is due to outline his plans to combat ISIS later.
John Kerry has started a Middle East tour to build support for action against ISIS
Barack Obama said on September 9 that he had authority to widen military action against ISIS without the approval of Congress, but said he would still ask lawmakers to endorse the arming of Syrian opposition forces.
ISIS militants have taken over large parts of Syria and Iraq in recent months and have declared a “caliphate”.
In the past month, ISIS militants have beheaded two US journalists in protest against American airstrikes on its forces in Iraq.
John Kerry’s tour is due to continue in Saudi Arabia and other regional capitals, where he is hoping to boost military, political and financial support for the fight against ISIS.
John Kerry is expected to ask Iraq’s Sunni neighbors to show solidarity with Baghdad.
President Barack Obama has met Congressional leaders to outline and press his case for an expanded military campaign against Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Iraq and Syria.
Barack Obama is discussing his strategy with leaders from both parties at the White House.
The talks come ahead of the president’s speech to the nation on Wednesday night.
It is not clear whether Barack Obama will seek Congressional authorization for an increased military role.
Tuesday’s meeting with Congressional leaders comes a year after lawmakers blocked Barack Obama’s previous plans for missile strikes against Syria.
Since then, the ISIS jihadist group has taken control of large swathes of Iraq and Syria.
In June it declared the creation of a “caliphate” or Islamic state.
In the past month, ISIS militants have beheaded two American journalists in protest against US airstrikes on its forces in Iraq.
Barack Obama has ruled out the possibility of a US ground operation against ISIS but has signaled he may expand airstrikes to include Syria.
While leaders in Congress have made it clear they are not interested in pursuing a vote on military action, some lawmakers have said any airstrikes or military action should be authorised by them.
Barack Obama has ruled out the possibility of a US ground operation against ISIS but has signaled he may expand airstrikes to include Syria (photo NBC)
Republican Senator Rand Paul told the website Politico that if Barack Obama does not ask for authorization, “it would show a disregard for the Constitution, and for the history of our country”.
Other lawmakers are more cautious about committing themselves to potentially risky military action, especially with the approach of Congressional mid-term elections in November.
According to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, a large majority of the American public views ISIS as a serious threat to the US and widely supports airstrikes in Iraq and Syria.
About 100 Americans are believed to have joined the militants and the US state department has tried to counter this by making a hard-hitting video that tries to dissuade potential recruits.
Barack Obama’s press secretary, Josh Earnest, told Politico on September 8 the president was hoping for a “buy-in” from Congress.
Meanwhile, France has announced it will host an international conference on Iraq on September 15 and President Francois Hollande will visit the country later this week.
On September 8, the US hailed the creation of a new government in Iraq as a major milestone and a crucial step toward defeating the militant group.
Secretary of State John Kerry said Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s cabinet had the “potential to unite all of Iraq’s diverse communities”.
Posts have been shared between the Shia Arab majority, Sunni Arabs and Kurds.
The US had made the approval of a unity government a condition for increased military assistance.
John Kerry is travelling to Saudi Arabia and Jordan this week as part of efforts to build a coalition to confront ISIS.
[youtube ehI5I1oKDCU 650]
Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson talked to Fox News’ Sean Hannity on September 2 about the killing of two American journalists by the ISIS militants and offered his solutions for how to handle it.
“Why is it when we’re not even over there in the Middle East, why do they continue to slaughter each other?” asked Phil Robertson.
The Duck Dynasty patriarch went on Fox News show Hannity to talk about his new book, UnPHILtered, but addressed the news first.
After citing some bible passages, Phil Robertson told Sean Hannity his view of the situation.
“In this case you have to convert them, which I think would be next to impossible, I’m not giving up on them, I’m just saying convert them or kill them. One or the other.”
Phil Robertson went on Fox News show Hannity to talk about his new book, UnPHILtered (photo Fox News)
Phil Robertson, 68, said ISIS is like “street gangs, street thugs on steroids”.
He added that it’s not like battling a “standing country with an army. This is more like worldwide gang warfare. My opinion is we’re going to have to deal with this group way more harshly than we have up to this point”.
However, Phil Robertson’s first choice for handling ISIS would be Jesus.
“I’d much rather have a Bible study with all of them and show them the error of their ways and point them to Jesus Christ,” he said.
“However, if it’s a gunfight and a gunfight alone, if that’s what they’re looking for, me personally, I am prepared for either one,” Phil Robertson added.
[youtube joYbJ7pS9rc 650]
Steven Sotloff’s family has spoken publicly for the first time since a video of his killing was released by ISIS militants.
The family said that Steven Sotloff gave his life to covering the suffering of people in war zones, but was “no hero”.
Vice President Joe Biden said that Islamic State militants who killed him and another American journalist, James Foley, would be pursued “to the gates of hell”.
Speaking at a press conference in Florida, Steven Sotloff family spokesman Barak Barfi said that Steven “wanted to give voice to those who had none”.
He said that Steven Sotloff “was no war junkie and did not want to be a modern-day Lawrence of Arabia”.
“From the Libyan doctor in Misrata who struggled to provide psychological services to children ravaged by war, to the Syrian plumber who risked his life by crossing regime lines to purchase medicine, their story was Steve’s story. He ultimately sacrificed his life to bring their story to the world,” Barak Barfi said.
“Today we grieve but we will emerge stronger. We will not allow our enemies to hold us hostage with the sole weapon they possess: Fear.”
Steven Sotloff was kidnapped in Aleppo, Syria, in August 2013 and held captive by ISIS militants (photo Facebook)
Barak Barfi said that Steven Joel Sotloff was “torn between two poles” – his love of home life and his passion for the Arab world.
He said that the Sotloff family’s prayers went out to the family of Jim Foley, who was similarly killed last month.
“Like Steve he suffered but his jailors never broke him. He was an inspiration to others held in prison.”
The tribute to Steven Sotloff came after President Barack Obama vowed that the US would not be intimidated following the release of a video tape of his murder by ISIS militants.
Barack Obama said the US would build a coalition to “degrade and destroy” ISIS.
Vice-President Joe Biden said that the US would not stop until the militants are brought to justice.
He said the American people “are so much stronger, so much more resolved” than any enemy can understand.
ISIS has seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria in recent months, declaring a new caliphate, or Islamic State, under leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
The US has launched more than 120 air strikes in the past month to try to help Kurdish forces curb the Islamic State advance.
[youtube -UEb8qjxsW0 650]
In a video posted online, al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri has announced the creation of an Indian branch of his militant group to “raise the flag of jihad” across South Asia.
In the 55-minute video posted online, Ayman al-Zawahiri pledged renewed loyalty to Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar.
Correspondents say his stated allegiance is an apparent snub to Islamic State (ISIS) militants.
ISIS is challenging al-Qaeda to lead worldwide Islamist militancy.
Announcing the formation of “al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent” using a mixture of his native Arabic and Urdu widely spoken in Pakistan, Ayman al-Zawahiri appeared eager to regain some of the limelight, correspondents say.
“[Al-Qaeda] is an entity that was formed to promulgate the call of the reviving imam, Sheikh Osama Bin Laden. May Allah have mercy upon him,” Ayman al-Zawahiri said.
He urged the “umma”, or Muslim nation, to “wage jihad against its enemies, to liberate its land, to restore its sovereignty and to revive its caliphate”.
Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has announced the creation of an Indian branch of his militant group
Ayman al-Zawahiri said “al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent” would be good news for Muslims in Burma, Bangladesh and in the Indian states of Assam, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir, where they would be rescued from injustice and oppression.
A spokesperson for India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) told the Associated Press that the statement was “a matter of serious concern”.
“But there is nothing to worry about. We have a strong government at the federal level,” the spokesperson said.
Counter-terrorism experts say al-Qaeda’s ageing leadership is vying with ISIS to recruit followers after the success of militants in the Middle East in attracting young followers worldwide by conquering large amounts of territory across Iraq and Syria.
ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi describes himself as a “caliph” – or head of state – and has called for the support of all Muslims around the world.
The two groups fell out in 2013 over the ISIS expansion into Syria, where Baghdadi’s followers have carried out decapitations, crucifixions and other forms of capital punishment.
On September 3, it emerged that Pakistani militants linked to IS have been distributing pamphlets in the north-western city of Peshawar calling on people to support their idea of creating an Islamic caliphate.
The material, published in the Pashto and Dari languages, urges people to support ISIS in its fight for a grand Islamic rule.
[youtube csHKUBbWWtU 650]
The video showing the killing of American journalist Steven Sotloff by ISIS militants is authentic, the US has confirmed.
Steven Joel Sotloff, 31, was abducted in northern Syria in August 2013.
President Barack Obama warned the killers that “our reach is long and justice will be served”.
Meanwhile, the UK held a meeting of its emergency Cobra committee after threats to kill a British hostage who was also shown in the latest video.
President Barack Obama, speaking in Estonia, said the killing was a “horrific act of violence and we cannot begin to imagine the agony everyone who loves Steven is feeling right now. Our country grieves with them”.
He added: “We will not be intimidated. This horrific act only unites us.”
US National Security Council spokesperson Caitlin Hayden said: “The US Intelligence Community has analyzed the recently released video showing US citizen Steven Sotloff and has reached the judgment that it is authentic.”
The video showing the killing of American journalist Steven Sotloff by ISIS militants has been confirmed as authentic
UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond also said “preliminary analysis” had suggested the video was genuine.
A spokesman for the Sotloff family had earlier indicated they believed the video was genuine, issuing a statement that said: “The family knows of this horrific tragedy and is grieving privately. There will be no public comment from the family during this difficult time.”
Before the verification was confirmed, US state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki had said: “If the video is genuine, we are sickened by this brutal act, taking the life of another innocent American citizen. Our hearts go out to the Sotloff family.”
Jen Psaki said it was believed that “a few” other Americans were still being held by Islamic State.
Steven Sotloff had appeared in a video last month which showed fellow American journalist James Foley being killed.
The latest video, entitled A second message to America, is about two-and-a-half minutes long and was apparently recorded in a desert.
Next to a masked figure, Steven Sotloff reads out a text addressed to President Barack Obama saying: “You’ve spent billions of US taxpayers’ dollars and we have lost thousands of our troops in our previous fighting against the Islamic State, so where is the people’s interest in reigniting this war?”
The militant has a voice with a British accent similar to that of the man who appeared to carry out the beheading of James Foley.
The man says: “I’m back, Obama, and I’m back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State… despite our serious warnings.”
The jihadist also threatens to kill the British hostage shown in the footage. The family of the British hostage has asked the media not to release his name.
The US has launched more than 120 air strikes in the past month to try to help Kurdish forces curb the IS advance.
ISIS militants have seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria in recent months, declaring a new caliphate, or Islamic state, under leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
After the news of the video emerged, President Barack Obama ordered the deployment of another 350 troops to Baghdad to protect US diplomatic facilities.
[youtube U3Ndy69Veyc 650]
A new Islamic State video has showed the killing of American journalist Steven Sotloff.
Steven Sotloff, 31, disappeared in Syria in 2013. He appeared at the end of a video last month which showed fellow American journalist James Foley being killed.
A militant in the latest video also threatens to kill a British hostage.
Steven Sotloff’s family said they were aware of the video and were “grieving privately”.
After James Foley’s death, Steven Sotloff’s mother appealed to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to save her son’s life.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said US officials were checking the reports.
The US has recently carried out dozens of air strikes against ISIS targets in Iraq.
The video, entitled A second message to America, shows a masked figure together with Steven Sotloff, who is dressed in an orange jumpsuit.
Steven Sotloff was abducted near Aleppo in northern Syria in August 2013
Steven Sotloff reads out a text addressed to Barack Obama saying: “You’ve spent billions of US taxpayers’ dollars and we have lost thousands of our troops in our previous fighting against the Islamic State, so where is the people’s interest in reigniting this war?”
The masked man then describes the act he is about to commit as retribution for the US air strikes.
“I’m back, Obama, and I’m back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State… despite our serious warnings,” the man says.
“We take this opportunity to warn those governments that enter this evil alliance of America against the Islamic State to back off and leave our people alone.”
The video ends with the militant threatening to kill a captive who is claimed to be British.
US state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said: “If the video is genuine, we are sickened by this brutal act.”
Steven Sotloff was abducted near Aleppo in northern Syria in August 2013.
He had worked for Time magazine, Foreign Policy and the Christian Science Monitor, and reported from Egypt, Libya and Syria.
Friends said Steven Sotloff had lived in Yemen for many years and spoke good Arabic.
At the time of his capture, Steven Sotloff’s family chose not to go public with details, on the advice of officials.
Last month a video was released showing the beheading of James Foley.
Steven Sotloff was shown at the end, as a militant gave a warning that his fate depended on President Barack Obama’s next move.
The US launched has launched more than 120 air strikes in Iraq in the last month, in an attempt to help Kurdish forces curb the advance of Islamic State militants and protect minorities threatened by them.
[youtube BahnhltnJI0 650]
Humanitarian aid drops have been made by the US planes to the besieged Iraqi town of Amirli, the Pentagon has said.
Some 15,000 minority Shia Turkmen in Amerli have been surrounded by Islamic State (ISIS) militants for two months.
The US also carried out air strikes on ISIS positions. The Iraqi army, Shia militias and Kurdish fighters have been struggling to break the siege.
Aircraft from the UK, Australia, France joined the US in the humanitarian aid drops, said Rear Admiral John Kirby.
Food, water, and medical supplies were delivered.
Rear Adm Kirby said operations would limited in scope and duration, as required to protect civilians trapped in Amirli.
The UN has expressed fears there could be a massacre if IS breaks through defenses in the town, which lies in Kurdish-controlled Iraq.
Humanitarian aid drops have been made by the US planes to the besieged Iraqi town of Amirli (photo AP)
Earlier, the US launched new air strikes on IS near the key Mosul Dam.
In a statement, the US military said an armed vehicle, a fighting position and weapons were destroyed in the raid.
It said the strikes were in support of operations conducted by the Iraqi security forces near the strategic dam in the north of the country.
ISIS has been accused of atrocities in areas of Iraq and Syria under its control.
The Shia Turkmen are seen as apostates by the ISIS militants.
From the south, Iraqi government troops and allied Shia militias are trying to push into the Marin hill, which overlook the plain on which Amirli lies.
With the help of air strikes by the Iraqi air force, they are reported to be making slow progress, with roads in the area heavily mined and booby-trapped by the Islamist militants.
From further north, a combination of army forces, Shia militia and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters is reported to be trying to push down towards Amerli through a string of villages held by ISIS.
In one village, Salam, local sources said Shia militias had taken control of half of the settlement – but the ISIS militants fought back and drove them out.
The impression at this stage is that rapid movement to break the siege is unlikely and that it may be a protracted affair.
The operation is reported to have two objectives: to break the siege of Amirli and to reopen the main highway leading north from Baghdad.
The road is currently blocked by ISIS.
Meanwhile, reports from Syria say that hundreds of Yazidi women, another Iraqi minority, have been sold and distributed as wives among militant fighters in Syria.
The women who were abducted during recent attacks by IS in Iraq are said to have been transported to Syria after being forced to convert to Islam.
At least 27 of them were sold to ISIS members for marriage, according to the UK-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Right.
[youtube Fb9IUDcKKU8 650]
[youtube _IsYNchqrAk 650]
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has warned that extremists could attack Europe and the US if there is not a strong international response to terrorism after the Islamic State (ISIS) seized a wide territory across Iraq and Syria.
While not mentioning any terrorist groups by name, King Abdullah‘s statement appeared aimed at drawing Washington and NATO forces into a wider fight against ISIS and its supporters in the region. Saudi Arabia openly backs rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar Assad, but is concerned that the breakaway al-Qaeda group could also turn those very same weapons on the kingdom.
“I am certain that after a month they will reach Europe and, after another month, America,” King Abdullah said at a reception for foreign ambassadors on August 29.
“These terrorists do not know the name of humanity and you have witnessed them severing heads and giving them to children to walk with in the street,” the king said, urging the ambassadors to relay his message directly to their heads of state.
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has warned that extremists could attack Europe and the US if there is not a strong international response to terrorism (photo Getty Images)
ISIS has been fighting moderate rebels, other extremists and Assad’s forces in Syria for nearly three years. Iraq has faced an onslaught by the Sunni extremists and their supporters since early this year, and the country continues to be roiled by instability.
While providing arms and support to Sunni militants in Syria, Saudi Arabia has denied directly funding or backing the Islamic State group.
British officials raised the country’s terror threat level on August 29 to “severe,” its second-highest level, because of developments in Iraq and Syria.
The White House has said it does not expect the US to bump up its terrorism threat warning level.
Saudi Arabia, a major US ally in the region, has taken an increasingly active role in criticizing the ISIS group. Earlier this month, the country’s top cleric described the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda as Islam’s No. 1 enemy and said that Muslims have been their first victims. State-backed Saudi clerics who once openly called on citizens to fight in Syria can now face steep punishment and the kingdom has threatened to imprison its citizens who fight in Syria and Iraq.
A decade ago, al-Qaeda militants launched a string of attacks in Saudi Arabia aimed at toppling the monarchy. Saudi officials responded with a massive crackdown that saw many flee to neighboring Yemen. In the time since, the kingdom has not seen any massive attacks, though it has imprisoned suspected militants and sentenced others to death.
Shirley Sotloff, the mother of American journalist Steven Sotloff held by ISIS militants, has made an emotional video appeal for his release.
Shirley Sotloff addressed her plea directly to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the militant group.
Steven Joel Sotloff, who vanished last year in Syria, appeared in a video showing the killing of US journalist James Foley.
The militant on the video said his life depended on the next move of President Barack Obama.
The US has recently carried out dozens of air strikes against IS targets in Iraq.
Shirley Sotloff addressed her plea for her son’s life directly to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the ISIS militant group
In her video message, Shirley Sotloff described her son as a journalist who had travelled to the Middle East to cover the “suffering of Muslims under the hands of tyrants”.
“Steven has no control over the actions of the US government. He’s an innocent journalist. I’ve always learned that you, the caliph, can grant amnesty. I ask you to please release my child,” said Shirley Sotloff.
“I ask you to use your authority to spare his life and to follow the example set by the Prophet Muhammad.”
Steven Sotloff’s case was not widely reported after his mother was told by ISIS militants he would be killed if she publicized it.
However, last week, Steven Sotloff appeared at the end of an ISIS video showing the killing of James Foley.
The masked militant who killed James Foley held Steven Sotloff by the collar and said: “The life of this American citizen, Obama, depends on your next decision.”
[youtube ixVIYfDAFpk 650]
James Foley’s killers wanted a $132 million ransom for his release, his employer has said.
GlobalPost CEO Philip Balboni said the Islamic State (ISIS) militants first demanded money last year.
James Foley was abducted in November 2012, and a video of his beheading was released by ISIS earlier this week.
In the video, they threatened to kill another American, journalist Steven Joel Sotloff, if the US did not stop its air strikes against the group in northern Iraq.
US air strikes have continued near Mosul despite the warning.
The US has begun a formal criminal investigation into James Foley’s death, with Attorney General Eric Holder saying that the US has a “long memory and our reach is very wide”.
In the UK, police and security services are trying to identify the jihadistwho appeared in footage of James Foley’s killing.
Unconfirmed reports suggest the man – who had a British accent – is from London or south-east England.
Journalist James Foley was abducted in Syria in November 2012
On Thursday, Eric Holder said the US pursuit of James Foley’s killer would be determined.
“We have an open criminal investigation, and those who would perpetrate such acts need to understand something: this Justice Department, the Department of Defense, this nation, we have long memories and our reach is very wide,” he said.
“We will not forget what happened and people will be held accountable one way or the other.”
Earlier President Barack Obama condemned the killing and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“We will be vigilant and we will be relentless,” he said.
“When people harm Americans, anywhere, we do what’s necessary to see that justice is done.”
The US launched more air strikes on ISIS targets in Iraq on Thursday.
US aircraft destroyed or damaged four ISIS vehicles and several bomb placements in strikes near Mosul dam, the military said.
Since August 8, the US military says it has conducted a total of 90 airstrikes across Iraq.
Of those 90 strikes, 57 have been near Mosul Dam, the military said.
The US defense department has revealed that the US “attempted a rescue operation recently to free a number of American hostages held in Syria”.
“Unfortunately, the mission was not successful because the hostages were not present at the targeted location.”
It was the first time the US government had acknowledged that its forces had operated in Syria since the country’s civil war began in 2011.
The Pentagon statement did not specify whether the operation had intended to rescue James Foley.
However, senior US officials – speaking on condition of anonymity – confirmed this. They added that the troops had killed several ISIS militants.
[youtube M-u9a5KlQKM 650]
Acccording to US officials, a secret military mission had tried but failed to free journalist James Foley and other American hostages in Syria.
Their comments come after a video of James Foley’s killing by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) militants appeared on Tuesday.
ISIS said James Foley’s death was revenge for US air strikes on its fighters in Iraq.
President Barack Obama condemned the killing as “an act of violence that shocks the conscience of the entire world”.
He compared ISIS militants, who control large parts of Syria and Iraq to a “cancer” and said the group’s ideology was “bankrupt”.
The UN, UK and others have also expressed abhorrence at the video.
James Foley’s mother, Diane Foley, said he “gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people”.
The Committee to Protect Journalists said it was “extremely concerned for all journalists” still held by ISIS, describing Syria as “the world’s most dangerous place to be a reporter”.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Pentagon said the US had “attempted a rescue operation recently to free a number of American hostages held in Syria”.
It said the operation “involved air and ground components and was focused on a particular captor network within ISIL” (the former name of ISIS).
“Unfortunately, the mission was not successful because the hostages were not present at the targeted location.”
James Foley had reported extensively across the Middle East, working for GlobalPost and other media outlets
The statement did not specify whether the operation had intended to rescue James Foley, who was kidnapped in Syria in November 2012.
However, senior Obama administration officials – speaking on the condition of anonymity – confirmed this.
They said that several dozen special troops had been dropped by aircraft into Syria in recent weeks to try to rescue US hostages, including James Foley.
They added that the troops had been engaged in a firefight with ISIS militants, killing a number of them. No Americans were killed.
James Foley, 40, had reported extensively across the Middle East, working for GlobalPost and other media outlets including French news agency AFP.
In the ISIS video, titled A Message to America, a man identified as James Foley is dressed in an orange jumpsuit, kneeling in desert-like terrain beside an armed man dressed in black.
He gives a message to his family and links his imminent death to the US government’s bombing campaign of ISIS targets in Iraq.
Clearly under duress, he says: “I call on my friends, family and loved ones to rise up against my real killers, the US government, for what will happen to me is only a result of their complacency and criminality.”
Then the masked militant – who speaks with a British accent – delivers a warning to the US government before killing James Foley: “Any attempt by you, Obama, to deny the Muslims their rights of living in safety under the Islamic caliphate will result in the bloodshed of your people.”
Another captive, identified as American journalist Steven Joel Sotloff, is shown at the end, with the warning that his fate depends on President Barack Obama’s next move.
Steven Joel Sotloff was abducted in northern Syria a year ago.
[youtube VPl5qu_eAaQ 650]
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) has released a video apparently showing the killing of American journalist James Foley, who went missing in Syria in 2012.
The jihadist militant group said the killing was revenge for US air strikes against its fighters in Iraq.
James Foley’s mother, Diane, said on Facebook she was proud of her son: “He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people.”
The White House said if the video was genuine, the US would be “appalled”.
James Foley, 40, has reported extensively across the Middle East, working for the GlobalPost and other media outlets including French news agency AFP.
In the video, titled A Message to America, a man identified as James Foley is dressed in an orange jumpsuit, kneeling in desert-like terrain beside an armed man dressed in black.
He gives a message to his family and links his imminent death to the US government’s bombing campaign of IS targets in Iraq.
Clearly under duress, he says: “I call on my friends, family and loved ones to rise up against my real killers, the US government, for what will happen to me is only a result of their complacency and criminality.”
Then the masked militant, who speaks with a British accent, delivers a warning to the US government: “You are no longer fighting an insurgency. We are an Islamic Army and a state that has been accepted by a large number of Muslims worldwide.
“So any attempt by you Obama to deny the Muslims their rights of living in safety under the Islamic caliphate will result in the bloodshed of your people.”
Journalist James Foley went missing in Syria in 2012 (photo GlobalPost)
After he speaks, the militant appears to start cutting at his captive’s neck before the video fades to black.
His body is then seen on the ground.
Another captive, identified as American journalist Steven Joel Sotloff, is shown at the end, with the warning that his fate depends on President Barack Obama’s next move.
Steven Joel Sotloff was abducted a year ago in northern Syria, close to the border with Turkey.
In a statement, GlobalPost asked for “prayers for Jim and his family”, adding that it was waiting for the video to be verified.
James Foley had covered the war in Libya and was detained there for more than 40 days.
US officials confirmed that they had seen the video. One said it appeared to be authentic while two others said the victim was James Foley, Associated Press reports.
President Barack Obama is expected to make a statement later. White House National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said: “If genuine, we are appalled by the brutal murder of an innocent American journalist and we express our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”
Diane Foley, in her Facebook post, urged the militants to free any other hostages.
“Like Jim, they are innocents. They have no control over American government policy in Iraq, Syria or anywhere in the world,” she wrote.
The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists estimates that 20 journalists are missing in Syria, local as well as international, and believes many are held by ISIS militants.
The US launched air strikes almost a fortnight ago, in an attempt to help Kurdish forces curb the advance of Islamic State militants in northern Iraq and recapture the Mosul dam, the biggest in Iraq.
The ISIS has been accused of massacring hundreds of people in areas under its control in Iraq and also in eastern Syria.
[youtube RvGePlNavNs 650]
At least 29 people have been killed after gunmen have stormed two buildings in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, officials say.
Twenty of those killed were said to be women.
The attack took place late on Saturday, July 12, in the neighborhood of Zayouna in east Baghdad, police said. One officer said he “found bodies everywhere”.
At least 29 people have been killed after gunmen have stormed two buildings in Baghdad’s neighborhood of Zayouna
The motive for the killings is not clear. No group has said it carried out the attack.
Reports said the two buildings were suspected to be brothels.
According to AFP, writing left on the door of one of the buildings read: “This is the fate of any prostitution.”
Locals in Zayouna have accused Shia militias of killing women thought to be prostitutes, Reuters news agency reported. The neighborhood is a mixed district of Sunni and Shia Muslims.
Prostitution is prohibited under Islam, the dominant religion in Iraq.
Iraq is experiencing an upsurge in instability as government forces battle an Islamist insurgency led by the jihadist Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), which has seized huge swathes of the country’s north-west and closed in on cities near Baghdad.
[youtube s56KDvntlR0 650]
A caliphate is an Islamic state ruled by a single political and religious leader, or Caliph.
Caliphs are regarded by their followers as successors to the Prophet Muhammad and the leader of all Muslims.
The word “caliph” comes from the Arabic khalifa, meaning “successor”. Its use means the IS claims Baghdadi as the only legitimate successor to the Prophet.
Abdulmecid II was the last Sunni Caliph of Islam from the Ottoman Dynasty (photo flickr.com)
First caliphate came into being after Prophet Muhammad’s death in 632. In the centuries which followed, caliphates had dominion in the Middle East and North Africa.
Historically, caliphates involved governance under Islamic law, with the leadership elected according to Sunni practice and selected from a group of Imams under Shia traditions.
Laws under a caliphate are traditionally defined in accordance with Islamic ethics. In the past the role of caliph has largely been symbolic, leaving the day-to-day running of government down to the devolved powers of local rulers.
The last widely accepted caliphate was abolished in 1924 by Turkish leader Kemal Ataturk after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Abdulmecid II was the last ruler of a caliphate.
In 2014, Islamist militant group ISIS has declared caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria, appointing its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as Caliph.
ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has called on Muslims to obey him, in his first video sermon.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been appointed caliph by the jihadist group, which has seized large swathes of Iraq and Syria.
The video appears to have been filmed on Friday during a sermon at the al-Nouri Mosque in Mosul, northern Iraq.
The footage surfaced on Saturday amid reports that he had been killed or wounded in an Iraqi air raid.
ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has called on Muslims to obey him, in his first video sermon (photo AFP)
It was not clear when the attack was supposed to have taken place.
In the sermon, at Mosul’s most famous landmark, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi praised the establishment of the “Islamic state”, which was declared by ISIS last Sunday.
Experts say the reclusive militant leader has never appeared on video before, although there are photographs of him.
“Appointing a leader is an obligation on Muslims, and one that has been neglected for decades,” he said.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi also said that he did not seek out the position of being the caliph, or leader, calling it a “burden”.
“I am your leader, though I am not the best of you, so if you see that I am right, support me, and if you see that I am wrong, advise me,” he told worshippers.
Captions in the video referred to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as “Caliph Ibrahim”, a name he has used since the group unilaterally declared him leader of an “Islamic state” last Sunday.
[youtube wwDgIT9OpUQ 650]
ISIS militants have announced they are establishing a caliphate, or Islamic state, on the territories the Islamist group controls in Iraq and Syria.
ISIS (the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) also proclaimed the group’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as caliph and “leader for Muslims everywhere”.
Setting up a caliphate ruled by the strict Islamic law has long been a goal of many jihadists.
Meanwhile, Iraq’s army continued an offensive to retake the northern city of Tikrit from the ISIS-led rebels.
Tikrit was seized by the insurgents on June 11 as they swept across large parts of northern-western Iraq.
ISIS militants have announced Islamic state on the territories the Islamist group controls in Iraq and Syria
In a separate development, Israel called for the creation of an independent Kurdish state in response to the gain made by the Sunni rebels in Iraq.
ISIS announced the establishment of the caliphate in an audio recording posted on the internet.
The group also said that from now on it would be known simply as “the Islamic State”.
The declaration harks back to the rise of Islam, when the Prophet Muhammad’s followers conquered vast territories in the Middle Ages.
The Sunni-Shia split happened because of a dispute over the succession to Muhammad, with the Sunnis following caliphs as their religious authority.
ISIS said the Islamic state would extend from Aleppo in northern Syria to Diyala province in eastern Iraq.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi would become the leader of the state and would be known as “Caliph Ibrahim”.
In the recording, the rebels also demanded that all Muslims “pledge allegiance” to the new ruler and “reject democracy and other garbage from the West”.
On Sunday, Iraqi government jets struck at rebel positions and clashes broke out in various parts of Tikrit, witnesses and officials said.
Troops had reportedly pulled back to the nearby town of Dijla as Saturday’s initial offensive met stiff resistance.
[youtube v8Qs4PeGOII 650]
Iraq’s PM Nouri al-Maliki has rejected calls for a national salvation government to help counter the offensive by jihadist-led Sunni insurgents.
Such calls represented a “coup against the constitution and an attempt to end the democratic experience”, Nouri al-Maliki warned.
The US has led appeals to Iraq’s political leaders to rise above sectarian and ethnic divisions.
Government forces have been unable to recapture the territory seized by the rebels this month.
PM Nouri al-Maliki has rejected calls for a national salvation government to help counter the offensive by jihadist-led Sunni insurgents
Almost half of the 300 US military advisers assigned to help the Iraqi security forces have arrived.
Fighting was reported to have continued on Wednesday, with an attack by rebels on the Balad airbase, about 50 miles north of Baghdad.
In his weekly televised address, Nouri al-Maliki called on “all political forces to reconcile” in the face of a “fierce terrorist onslaught”.
But the Shia prime minister gave no promise of greater representation in government for the minority Sunni Arab community, whose anger at what they say are his sectarian and authoritarian policies has been exploited by jihadist militants from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).
Nouri al-Maliki said forming an emergency administration that included all religious and ethnic groups would go against the results of April’s parliamentary elections, which were won by his State of Law alliance.
“The dangerous goals of forming a national salvation government are not hidden,” he said.
“It is an attempt by those who are against the constitution to eliminate the young democratic process and steal the votes of the voters.”
Nouri al-Maliki committed to start forming a new governing coalition by July 1st.
[youtube Ap9Sdc421ds 650]
Prev1...101112Next 
Page 11 of 12
