Reuters: Islamic State on the defensive, territory shrinking in Syria and Iraq: U.S. official
Islamic State has not gained significant ground since it took the Iraqi city of Ramadi a year ago, which it then lost in December, as the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq and Syria has been helped by better intelligence and better equipped local forces, a senior U.S. official said on Sunday.
Islamic State "is shrinking so they are very much on the defensive," Brett McGurk, U.S. President Barack Obama's special envoy in the fight against Islamic State, told a news conference in Amman.
Islamic State controls the cities of Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria and is proving a potent threat abroad, claiming credit for major attacks in Paris in November and Brussels in March.
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MIDDLE EAST
Kurdish forces advancing on Raqqa city in full combat readiness.
ISIS attack and bombings leave 29 dead in and around Baghdad.
Islamic State: Turkish strikes in Syria 'kill 27 militants'. Turkey and US bomb ISIL positions inside Syria.
Anger, fear sweeps Turkish border town under attack from Islamic State.
US envoy in anti-IS battle: 'perverse caliphate' shrinking.
ISIS suicide bomb kills 47 in former Al-Qaeda town in Yemen. IS bombs kill 47 Yemen police in former Qaeda bastion.
Islamist militants exploit chaos as combatants pursue peace in Yemen.
Iran arrests fashion models, blog manager in social media crackdown.
ASIA
Monday marks 50 years since start of Cultural Revolution.
China says Pentagon report ‘severely damaged’ relations.
Afghan power project prompts Hazara protest in Kabul. Afghan capital locked down for ethnic demonstration.
Taliban deal the 'best hope for peace' in Afghanistan, says chief executive.
Protesters clash with riot police in Nepal over new constitution.
Philippines' Duterte: I'll bring back the death penalty.
Pakistan could beat polio in months, says WHO.
Tokyo Olympics: Japan to 'fully cooperate' with suspicious payments inquiry.
AFRICA
Burundi says Rwanda expels 1,300 Burundians as relations fray.
Libya: US backs arming of government for IS fight.
Somalia: Commandos launch offensive against Al-Shabab.
Nigeria arrests 'Avengers' oil militants.
After years of distrust, U.S. military reconciles with Nigeria to fight Boko Haram.
Kenyan police fire tear gas at stone-throwing protesters over election body.
CIA tip-off led to Nelson Mandela's arrest, new documentary claims. Bombshell interview suggests CIA played a role in Mandela's '62 arrest.
EUROPE
Europe migrant crisis: EU faces 'populist uprising'.
Manchester United: Cause of 'bomb' scare at Old Trafford dubbed 'fiasco'. Man United 'must be up front over shambolic Old Trafford security scare'.
US, Russia push Armenia, Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh.
EU's Mogherini says to meet Armenia, Azerbaijan leaders in Vienna on Monday.
Brexit could shift Europe's political centre of gravity, says Fitch.
Cypriot leaders say still on track for a reunification deal in 2016.
Russia apologizes for Sochi Olympics doping scandal.
AMERICAS
Venezuela's President Maduro 'won't face recall referendum'.
Cuban immigrant surge on pace to more than triple 2015, 156,000 vs 43,000.
Colombia's FARC rebels agree to remove child soldiers from ranks under government peace deal.
Colombia seizes 8 tons of cocaine in largest bust in decade (PHOTOS, VIDEO).
Guatemala accuses Belize of excessive force during arrest.
Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina on course to be re-elected.
Former Trump girlfriend hits back at 'upsetting' NYT cover story.
TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR
Al Qaeda turns to Syria, with a plan to challenge ISIS.
Vienna hosts international meeting on 'Islamic State' threat in Libya.
Al Qaeda’s online magazine tells terrorists to target U.S. business leaders in their homes.
Report: France saw Paris attack coming, failed to stop it.
ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS
Oil hits six-month highs on supply outages, Goldman forecast.
Google faces record three billion euro EU antitrust fine: Telegraph.
Buffett buys big slice of Apple.
Chinese nationals pour more than $150 billion over five years into US real estate.
1 comment:
So we are playing whack-a-mole with ISIS and this jurk, McGurk, thinks we are winning.
ISIS decreases 40% in Syria / Iraq and increases in Yemen, Afghanistan, Sinai and Libya.
Is this jurk 'for reals'?
We helped the Kurds in Kobane. That success was due to the U.S. Question is do we intervene, because we were shamed into it?
Likewise is the ISIS loss of territory more due to the Russians and their allies than to the U.S.
There is a reason that jurk McGurk did not become ambassador to Iraq.
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