>> welcome to the news hour. these are our top stories. the fight for iraq's oil riches, the governor of kirkut is issuing pleas of help against isil. oscar pistorius gets five years for killing his girlfriend. his lawyer says he could be out of jail within months. >> new questions over nigeria's apparent cease fire deal with

boco haram. >> kirkut is on the main road straddling the contested border between the kurdish north and the arab south. it extends to just south of the city. isil fighters and kurdish forces in some areas are only five meters apart.

>> there's a 4646 kilometers perimeter around this city in iraq. isil pushed them out of many cities in june. since then, it's been a struggle to hold this territory. that's why the government of the city is asking the u.s.-led coalition to launch an intense and sustained assault against the group. he says isil wants kirkut's oil fields. >> that's the point i tried to make to our american friends when i was in washington and i talked to them again. >> we want to drive these people away. >>reporter: air strikes began in august but there have not been

many in this corner of iraq. and the problem is this check point is considered to be a front line. it is the main entry point to kirkut from the south. thousands cross this check point daily. despite the security, some of isil's members are able to infiltrate the city where they already have some support. >> we have fought terrorists among us. we have even among students who come to take their exams, they were planning to do whatever isis does. ex-employ explosiv explosives, suicide bombers. this check point has already been targeted twice by suicide bombers in the past four months, but what kurdish officials fear is most is if the armed group decides to storm the city. >> we can talk now to the

kurdish regional government spokesperson in the united states. he is live with us in washington d.c. how far has the situation changed with regard to isil positions in the curbing -- kirkut province. >> this shows how effective isil has been able to be, maneuvering and going between two different countries. yesterday there were 15 different attacks on different kurdish front lines. and so isis has always had their eyes on kirkut. they've always wanted this oil-rich city, and they will continue to attack it, yet, we will continue to fight the security measure. >> you've asked the united states for more help. what is the response been?

>> well, what's happening is these targets and this movement between isil is being assessed. if kirkut is to be compromised, this could be a blood bath. it's quite a unique city and ve very. we are confident it's not going to fall into the hands of isis but they could still do damage. >> why do you think the united states has not gone straight in immediately the way it did in mosul, for instance, especially around the mosul dam? >> not every target is easy to take out. isis has been able to adapt to these air strikes. they used to move in and move

their heavy artillery in large convoys. they don't do that anymore. now they blend in with the population making it more difficult to take them out. a lot of times they position their artillery near major infrastructure, hospitals, bridges, things of that nature. so it's making it extremely difficult to take out these strikes because there will be collateral damage. >> another complexity to the whole situation surrounding kirkut is, of course, its status because there are sunni arabs perhaps in collaboration with isis because they don't want it to be absorbed into kurdish controlled territory. >> it's a complex city. unique. very diverse. you have deferent loyalties and royalties and sects. so kirkut is difficult and my

hat's off to the governor, it's a very difficult city to manage and govern. and everyone has to agree and most do, that security is number one priority and if that's compromised, it could certainly call and there could be more suicide bombers and certainly the daily lives could be disrupted like we've seen in my other towns and cities. >> thank you very much indeed. we stay in iraq because dozens of people have been killed in another day of violence across the country. in ramadi 12 were killed and 9 injured in an attack by isil. iran's president has offered support to iraq, the iraqi prime

minister has been on a visit of the tehran. here's more from baghdad. >>reporter: he's on a two-day visit to iran. he's in tehran at the moment. he's already met with the president and is likely to meet with the heads of national security council. . what prime minister abadi will be looking for is reassurances that iran has the support of iraq when it comes to fighting isil. that support is crucial. also he will be looking at exactly what iran is doing to fight isil. clearly there's no love lost between those two countries, but they are both involved against the fight with isil. however, he's also going to be

looking for to see what's going to happen next. the iranians are very concerned about the shrines within iran. key shrines are in this country and for iran that's a red line. if they're attacked, that means iran has to send in troops in large number and they want to avoid that so they're looking for reassurances from the prime minister that those shrines are protected. also, there's another concern. that is slumping oil prices which has had a huge impact on both countries. they'll be looking at ways to try to get those prices to arise. >> isil fighters say they have seized u.s. military aid meant for kurdish forces in kobani. this video purports to show fighters with u.s. ammunition boxes in the town which borders

turkey. on monday, the u.s. dropped weapons and supplies to kurdish forces who have been struggling to defend kobani. bennett smith is on the border of turkey and syria. >>reporter: they launched a renewed assault on monday night but kurds defending kobani say they were able to hold their lines with the help of new ammunition and new weapons they received in that u.s. air drop. however, there's still a stalemate. the kurds haven't gained territory and nor have isis fighters. we understand from the presidency of the kurdstan regional government that they are ready to send fighters to

aid the kurds but remain in negotiation with the government about how much aid in terms of humanitarian and military aid they can send along with those fighters and the route they will take as they transit turkey into kobani. much more to come including an experimental ebola vaccine is on its way from canada to geneva to the world health organization. plus, no agreement to end

the demonstrations in hong kong. find out why there will be just as many empty seats in the match as there were for training. that's coming up. that's coming up. oscar pistorius has been sentenced to five years in prison for killing his girlfriend last year on valentines day. tonya page reports now. >>reporter: with the international media's attention on him, oscar pistorius walked into court. his defense team argued that the star could overcome having both legs amputated was now a broken man who didn't deserve prison. but the judge said she had to find a balance between mercy and punishment. >> the sentence is five years in prison. >>reporter: he seemed resigned to it. the judge added a three-year

suspended sentence for a firearms conviction but he could serve as little as one-sixth of his sentence, just ten months, after which he may have to serve out his sentence under house arrest. >> we accept the judgment. oscar will embrace this opportunity to pay back to society. >>reporter: reeva steenkamp's mother said in court that the sentence was right. >> it doesn't matter. he's going to pay something. >>reporter: she bled to death after pistorius shot her through a door. he thought she was an intruder. >> some say the verdict and sentence were wrong and they should have been found guilty of murder and not culpable homicide. >> we respect the charge but are saying for now, we are calling for an appeal. >>reporter: others outside court

disagreed. >> for those not satisfied, i understand them. but, there's -- >>reporter: the judge's decision brings an end to what has been a dramatic seven and a half month long trial and one of her final comments to the court she said she hopes the sentencing helps the grieving process for both the steenkamp and pistorius families. after a trial in which every moment has been watched and disected around the world, finally, an end. now, a cease fire. nigeria -- al jazeera has learned there's been a number of armed attack since the truce this weekend. the violence has also raised questions as to whether more than 200 girls abducted six months ago will be released

soon. an official indicated last week that the girls may be freed by tuesday. the president of the civil rights congress in nigeria is doubting the authenticity of this deal. >> the person who is said to have sat down with the government is a name that was unknown within the group and i don't think it is possible for anyone to declare a cease fire except the leader of the group. this is not the first time we've had stories of cease fire. each time it comes up, the group has always come up to dismiss the story. so if there was actually a cease fire, there could not have been more violence in eastern nigeria. >> all right. we can now speak with michael mary, a spokesman for the

president. in your estimation, what is the status of this current cease fire? >> well, first, let me make this correction. i am the coordinating spokesman of the national information center. currently and continuously gives information to the citizens about the rescue of the girls. last week, the government of nigeria announced to the world and its citizens that efforts are continuing to finding the girls and establishing peace. the incidents have approached the government and president of chad who -- verifications -- and they -- it was a demonstration

of good faith. and listening to -- he said he was sent by the leadership of the group. >> is he known to you? well, it is okay, maybe there are -- we know there are people there. the ones that have been talking to the public, we know their names. don't forget that some people don't know their names. but he came. he had gone to see the president. the president of the country had investigated before inviting

nigeria into it. they demonstrated good faith. they have agreed to discuss the release of the girls. and so far, yes, on the dates. and we concluded that either the people who are not reached with information, usually on the part of the cell or the sect.

>> can you understand -- sorry to interrupt. can you understand the skepticism then being expressed by so many nigeria people without any statement to a cease fire deal from the acknowledged leader of the group? >> the government has never come out to announce a cease fire. but the government nor any of its neighbors was involved in those efforts. but this one we have -- officials with --

(unintelligibl (unintelligible). >> there's a delay on the line here. there are those who are attributing the announcement of a cease fire and the possibility of the 200 or so girls being released from their clutches, there are those suggesting that this is part of a re-election bid if you like, the president is about to announce that he's going to run again for election. >> the focus is rescuing those

girls and establishing peace. so anyone who wants to add more things, we won't discuss politics with that. we are concentrating on making sure that our citizens are returned back to us and the parents get their children back (unintelligibl (unintelligible). >> thank you so much for talking to us here. now in other news. the first batch of an experimental ebola vaccine developed in canada has been sent to the world health organization. this is one of three experimental vaccines being fast tracked in response to the outbreak in west africa. the vaccine was developed by the khan khan government. tests on animals suggest it's effective even if taken after exposure to the virus. the first human trials got underway monday. results aren't expected until

december. another vaccine developed by glaxo smith klein is based on a cold virus and is being tested in the united states and the u.k. results from that are expected before the end of the year. but ten thousand doses are being prepared to be sent to west africa if it's shown to be effective and safe. johnson and johnson is also developing a vaccine to be tested early next year. it requires two injections. one to prime the immune system and the other to boost it. the company says the vaccine can be manufactured quickly because every component can be produced separately. quarantining ebola sufferers is still the most effective way to stop its spread but in west africa itself doing so means cutting off already poor people from their source of income.

it's usually so busy here but now it's deserted. shops closed indefinitely and farmers who usually are here stay away. more than 20 homes in the town are cordened off under quarantine. all people lives in households where someone has died of ebola or had contact with a person confirmed as positive are required to stay inside their homes for 21 days. it comes at a price though. >>reporter: aid groups have be

supplying is food to some under quarantine but for many who are already poor, it's been a desperate time. alfred recovereded from the virus to find that 12 of his family members had died. at least 68 rebels have been killed in fighting in yemen. they were battling al quaeda and tribesmen. five yemeni tribesmen were

killed. >> that's where dozens of people are rallying against fighters. they're calling for the shiite rebel group to leave the city and for the police to regain control. they continue to deploy their gunmen despite a peace agreement with the government.

another development in the town of -- in the proves, al quaeda fighters as well as tribesmen united and they are making gains. four districts from the outskirts are trying to repel any advance. now everyone is talking to each other with the president, with the new prime minister to form a unity government to end the crisis but i have to tell that you the winner in all of this would be the hosis because there are unconfirmed reports at this stage but they are in the powerful position to gain at least six ministers in the new cabinet. now, this is not official. if that happens, it indicates the new power that this group has gaineded in this country. still to come, fighting the enemy within. we report from an internal security exhibition here in

khatar. khatar.

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