Iraq Civil War News Updates -- June 21, 2014

UN Secretary General warns U.S Airstrikes Against ISIS Could Be Ineffective And Backfire As Jihadists Trap 300 Iraqi Troops Inside Country's Largest Oil Refinery -- Daily Mail

* UN Secretary General has warned that possible US-led airstrikes against ISIS fighters could be ineffective and backfire
* Described sectarian warfare in the country as a 'disaster for all' and urged Iraq to avoid falling into that trap
* Comments come as militants and government forces appear to be at a stalemate at the Bajji oil refinery in Samarra
* Provincial governor in the town told cheering forces they would now force ISIS and its allies back
* So far U.S. President Barack Obama has held off granting a request for airstrikes from Iraqi government
* PM Nouri al-Maliki facing growing pressure to resign over claims he has alienated Iraq's Sunni minority

The UN Secretary General has warned that possible airstrikes against ISIS fighters in Iraq could be ineffective and backfire.

His comments come as it emerged around 300 Iraqi troops battling for control of the Bajji oil refinery are outnumbered and trapped in the facility.

The refinery is the country's largest, 62 miles north of Samarra and any lengthy outage risks long lines at the gas pump and electrical shortages.

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Iraq Civil War News Updates -- June 21, 2014

Iraq Live Blog Live -- Al Jazeera

Reports: Rebels capture Iraq oil refinery -- Al Jazeera
Hundreds of Troops Remain Surrounded in Iraq's Key Refinery, Says US Official -- ABC News

ISIS militants take key Iraq-Syria border post -- France 24
Militants Seize Iraq Border Post as 30 Troops Killed -- Wall Street Journal
Militants Take Iraqi Town on Syrian Border -- VOA
Iraq militants take Syria-border post in drive for caliphate -- Reuters
Sunni militias take control of key Iraqi border crossing -- Washington Post
ISIS Militants Seize Iraq-Syria Border Post, Kill 30 Troops -- NBC

Iraq crisis: Isis allies 'turn on jihadists' as 17 killed in clashes -- The telegraph
Fleeing Iraqis join large tide of displaced people -- AP
Kurdish Peshmerga Fight Endless Stream of ISIS Militants in Iraq -- NBC
Baghdad's Sunni fighters: we are ready for zero hour -- The Guardian
Inside Baghdad's Shia slum of Sadr City: 'We can deal with Isis ourselves' -- The Telegraph

Iraq crisis: Shia militia show of force raises tensions -- BBC
Shiite fighters parade as US readies Iraq diplomatic push -- Global Post/AFP
Iraq militia parades as insurgents seize crossing -- AP
Thousands of Shia militiamen parade through Baghdad in show of force as Isis Islamists seize new border post -- Daily Mail
Thousands of Shiite militia parade in Baghdad as militants seize frontier zone -- RT
Iraqi Shia groups rally in show of power -- Al Jazeera
Anti-American cleric's militia displays its might in Iraq -- CBS
As ISIS advances toward Baghdad, a call for fighting volunteers is answered -- CNN
Iraqis parade in show of unity; U.S. military advisers to arrive -- CNN

Iraq crisis: Maliki’s days in power numbered as Iran and US lose faith -- The Independent
Iraq Pressed by U.S. to Quickly Solve Political Crisis -- Bloomberg
Iraq PM under pressure from Shiite cleric, US -- AP

Plan to aid Iraq army against militants was understaffed, marked by distrust, report claims -- FOX News
Secret U.S. Plan to Aid Iraq Fizzled Amid Mutual Distrust -- WSJ
So what will those military advisers wear in Iraq? -- Washington Post

Iraq crisis: will the calm in Isis-held Mosul last? -- Jim Muir, BBC
Iraq reprisals raise spectre of revived civil war -- David Gritten & Thomas Martienssen, BBC News
Why al-Maliki needs to resign -- Fareed Zakaria