[ gunfire ] the battle for tikrit. iraqi forces say they'll liberate the town from i.s.i.l. within three days. hello, i'm martine dennis. you are with al jazeera live from doha. also cyclone pam crashes into the pacific il of nation vanuatu. eight are killed. four years after the start of hostilities towards president bashar al-assad, we look at how the war in syria led to the rise

of i.s.i.l. healing relations narendra modi visits jaffna to meet the displaced from sri lanka's long civil war. first, iraqi forces battling i.s.i.l. say the city of tikrit will be freed within 72 hours. control of tikrit which is the home town of former president saddam hussein is seen as crucial in the fight against the armed group. people, at least 13 kurdish peshmerga fighters have been killed in i.s.i.l.'s shelling. this incident took place south of the oil-rich city of kirkuk. let's talk to our correspondent jane arraf, in the iraqi capital. first of all, tikrit how credible is the optimism from the iraqi forces that they could

liberate this important town within three days. >> well liberate is a sweeping word. what they are saying is they believe that they are confident in eradicating the i.s.i.l. preps in tikrit. the major pockets of i.s.i.l. i.s.i.l. holds half the city. it's not a huge number of fighters. the reason this is taking so long, and the offensive started a week ago, is i.s.i.l.'s main tactics are explosives and snipers, and people willing to blow themselves up. as iraqi troops and shia militia members have gone in to tikrit. they can't advance because of explosives and the snipers. the iraqi army called for reinforcements. they are expected to make progress. clearing neighbourhood by neighbourhood, and basically it is a rough oud line of when the

army expects to raise the iraqi flag. it doesn't mean the battle will be over. >> and the force that is taking on the i.s.i.l. fighters in tikrit is interesting, isn't it. it's made up of a wide variety of forces and components if you like including a controversial iranian-backed sunni shia i should say militias. when they asked for more support, is that what they are requiring. did they want more shia militia men to join the fight? >> they want more of everything. we have to be clear t doesn't involve the kurdish forces or peshmerga, or the american air streaks. there are a lot of different

comments. recently. veli sadiki, who -- mok tar al-sadr said he would send fighters. he said he is reactivating forces. they are several hundred fighters, and men other groups a lot of them part iranian backed millish e as. a lot headed by groups advised by the iranian elite commander. seen that the fight is complicated and fragmented. let's here more. let's here more about that battle. that cattle pore tikrit. we have this report from osama.

>> reporter: iraq's military wants the world to see advances in tikrit. iraqi forces making headway despite suicide attacks. >> i think the tide turned in tikrit and would be liberated. sooner than expected. the military doesn't show iranian backed shi'a militias. many believe they serve more credit. the unofficial leader is the iranian general. forces backed by shia militias. now the commander - he is reported to be in tikrit. the general is leading the fight against the city. the influence is beyond the battlefield. many believe using a propaganda toll a general who never loses

battle. in this rare video, she he is giving advice to those battling i.s.i.l. >> if you seek high expertise and studies, in the future you'll help more the oppressed people of yours, the iraqi people. >> reporter: the u.s.-led forces is relying on the iraqi forces. whether it is militias groups struggle against i.s.i.l. the neighbours allege that the militias extend. the man leading the brigade has support. >> translation: we thank sulemany for what he has done. the iranians are helping us in exchange for nothing.

>> reporter: iraq's government has been trying to address the fears of the sunni population, but it's nothing more than speeches. >> we hope the words will be turned into actions, and all those in tikrit should be punished severely. >> reporter: as militia men take back areas the island nation in the south pacific, more than 2,000km from the coast of australia and new zealand. vanuatu is a city that makes money through tourism and agriculture. friday night the arca pele go around 80 different islands was completely buffeted by the deadly cyclone pam. a category 5 storm bringing winds of 300km an hour. at least eight people so far

died. kim veinel reports. >> assessing the devastation left by tropical cyclone pam. vanuatu was hit by winds over 200 k/hr. it was five on the scale, uprooted trees and tore apart stores and homes. power was cut. as the storms raged residents could do little but wait. >> i am in the bathroom. listening to the roof which sounds like it's lifting and i'm holding on for dear life. all i can do is think about people in vanuatu that have no shulter. this will be a -- shelter. this will be a horrific humanitarian disaster.

as picture emerge. is real concern is those living in small villages and outer islands. entire villages have been wiped out. it's destructive. it's hitting a country that is using a lot of shelters and housing, meaning they are vulnerable to this intensity. >> the u.n. says they were unconfirmed reports that dozens of people have been killed in the north-east. vanuatu's president, away to attend a conference in japan is unsure of what he will return to. >> i'm speaking to you with a heart that is so heavy. i do not know what impact it has had in vanuatu. >> thousands of people were evacuated in shelters, returning to find their homes destroyed. the u.n. is deploying a rapid response team to aid relief

operations. >> there are destructive winds, rain flooding land slides sea surges and rough assess. tropical cyclone pam will impact other areas. >> reporter: cyclone pam is forecast to pass new zealand next. vanuatu bore the bankrupt with teetering trees, downed powerlines and flooding - many areas too dangerous to assess. we have been speaking to dan mc-gary who lived in vanuatu for 11 years. >> my colleagues said it hooked like a bomb wept off. i live and work near the seafront where the video was shot. i don't even recognise it when i look at it myself. if i haven't seen it i wouldn't

believe it was possible for the state to be transformed. everyone said needs are different. i ran into a chief, he and his family moved into down. their house was destroyed. he was with 10 family members. he asked me tore materials to repair his house and move back. for others there are requests for food water. i know that there's a school locally where people had gone for about 18 hours because food and water ... chinese fighter jets have been put on alert. china says burmese ancraft dropped a bomb. it was touting rebels who needed to take over the region. and a ferry sunk off the coast,

killing 30 people. rescuers pulled 167 people from the sea and brought them to safety, but a further 26 people remain unaccounted for. u.s. secretary of state john kerry says progress has been made in the iran nuclear talks, but the gaps remain. john kerry is attending the economic development conference in the egyptian city. he defended the president obama administration from those who tried to intervene in the talks by sending a letter to iran. >> let me make clear to iran to our p5+1 counterparts who are deeply involved in the negotiation. that from our point of view this was, in fact incorrect in its statements about what power they do have. it was incorrect in its assessments of what type of agreement this is.

and as far as we are concerned, congress has no ability to change an executive agreement per se well he said that the u.s. will soon make a decision on the unfreezing of millions in suspended military aid to egypt. the government unveiled plans for a capital city at at cost of $45 billion. one of a series of projects attracting foreign investment. a main goal held in shammual shake. more to come including a respect from gilles simon, where there's good news for patients from public hospitals. so what... >> dangerous...

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>> "the week ahead". sunday 8:30 eastern. only on al jazeera america. shake. more to come, including a respect from gilles simon, where there's good news for patients from public hospitals. hello, these are the top stories on al jazeera. [ gunfire ] iraqi forces say they'll free the city of tikrit from i.s.i.l. within 72 hours. the army has been battling for two weeks to take back control of the city seen as vital in the ongoing battle. at least eight people have been confirmed dead. u.s. emergency teams are being rushed to the south pacific its after winds up to 270 k/hr caused widespread destruction. the u.s. secretary of state said progress has been made in the iran nuclear talks. but gaps need to be overcome before any deal can be reached.

speaking from the egyptian city of shamal shake where he's attending the economic development conference. more than 300 syrian migrants are being detained in turkey after coast guards fired pop their ship. it ignored warnings to stop as it past through the dar dannel straight. the ship was taken to port and three were arrested. the refugees have been trying to get to italy. they've been taken to a nearby town opponents of bashar al-assad started prodefendants in march 2011 were, protests in march 2011 i.s.i.l. didn't exist. questions are being asked as it hit the fifth year, whether the united nations could have done more to prevent its growth. >> reporter: no one in the west

predicted what i.s.i.l. would become. they should have. at the time the focus was on the aftermath of the arab spring. in 2012 in the middle of a full-blown civil war, human rights abuses occurred. it brought a warning. >> we start to see a bunch of chemical weapons moved around. >> reporter: a year later president obama said he had proof chemical weapons was used and tried to build support. it didn't work. >> the united states came off two wars in the east. there's little appetite. >> reporter: inside syria, armed groups waged a war. they were operating in sunni areas. it was on to northern iraq where u.s. trained troops dropped their guns and ran.

when i.s.i.l. fighters came within 40km the u.s. air war gee gan. it was the beheading on camera that got the public's attention. >> the beheadings had an affect. there's no question. that plus the strategic element cannot be overlooked. the idea that you know here is a country where iraq fought and now a new group is taking territory. that had a powerful effect. >> since the start of the conflict. syria begged washington to give it better weapons, but to no avail. it's only now that u.s. forces trained opposition fighters ironically not to fight the forcers of bashar al-assad, but i.s.i.l. >> in this group is to fight i.s.i.s., take control of

territory and secure the population, the regime will have to leave them alone or they'll have to fight the regime. it's possible the regime will leave them alone. it's unlikely though. >> reporter: it's too simplistic to suggest had the u.s. intervened, it could have prevented the spread of the i.s.i.l. it is clear that the obama administration's efforts to limit its own footprint have not worked two rival groups in libya - talks postponed after one side didn't furn up a delegation from the u.n. recognised government based in tobruk. the u.n. envoy met members from the tripoli based congress group a protest rally held in a coastal city where the houthis

capture it in ob. they have a protest in ibb and in tiaz a day of national mourn after a rescue helicopter crashed. it was carrying a sick baby when it crashed at the main airport. four crew members, two medical workers and a baby were killed. dozens from the former u.k. are thought to be fighting in eastern ukraine. the largest group serbs. a smaller number of croat is barnaby phillips reports. >> a peaceful up to in northern serbia on the banks of the danube. this is where a young man was brought up. this is where he is now. in the bad lands of eastern ukraine, fighting for the russian-backed separatists. that's him on the right.

amongst a group of serbs helping the separatists. >> greetings from serbia they say. it leads to ukraine through the internet. >> why, i asked him, was he fighting in a war in another country? > we serbs hold a great debt to russia, it saved our country, when it saw what they were doing in the west, i can't just sit and watch. i'll stay until victory. i don't care if i'm locked up. >> we travelled from serbia to other areas much this is zagreb the capital. from this country me have gone to fight in the war in ukraine. these croat have joined a militiaal lied to the ukranian government army. the croat are with the battalion with links to the far right.

fighting in mariupol. the croatian government says it's not worried. numbers involved are small. i ask the foreign minister are these men breaking the lay-by going to the misty uphamu.n. to fight. >> no they'd be breaking the law if they join terrorist organizations. ukranian army is not considered a terrorist organization. >> reporter: our information is they are fighting for an almost freelance group with the ukranian army. >> which doesn't fall under the category of organizations. >> reporter: i met a member of a group that is in touch with crow at fighters and is sympathetic to them. should we think of them as mercenaries. >> they are paid about $100 a months less than the minimum wage in croatia. they get moral support from

people here. i wished them good luck. some of those that have gone are veterans of the balkan wars. some are extremists from the margins of the society. the war is causing ripples in the former yugoslavia now to zimbabwe where the health care suffered from years of neglect and much of the rur is in disrepayment but 100 million of new equipment brought with a loan from china should help. >> this is harare central hospital. and the president is here to see 100 million. robert mugabe travelling to singapore hopes it will boost confidence in the medical facilities. >> no.

>> zimbabwe's economy is in trouble. it's suffering from falling investment in falling u.. they face travel maps and sanctions in the west over human right abuses and fraud. he's turned to china for help. >> we know that china and zimbabwe are old weather friends. and our cooperation coughs almost every sector including every culture, manufacturing, mining as well as social sectors. china is africa's biggest training partner and investing heavily in the commodity sector because it needs minerals and metals. some accuse china of exploiting mineral resources. the investment is seen as a life

line. >> zimbabwe it susceptible and we don't believe it's only china. what the chinese are doing is in the right direction for the nation. >> zimbabwe used chinese money to by ambulances x-ray machines and more besides. it's vital equipment needed but the latest charm offensive comes at a price. and it's one that zimbabweans will pay for in years to come. a u.s. citizen is tested falling ill after arriving from west africa. a healthcare worker is in serious condition after testing positive in sierra leone. the unnamed maryland patient is the 11th person with the virus

to be treated in the united states a candle lit vigil for peace was lit for the two police men shot. ferguson, missouri police are investigating leads. it is the focal point of a national debate over race and policing since the killing of an unarmed teenager 7 months ago. >> india's prime minister arrived in the northern angan city. he is the first leader to visit the stronghold of tamil tiger rebels. narendra modi has med leaders of the tamil national alliance in the capital colombo. >> we have the latest from jaffna. >> the indian prime minister making several important points - we heard him talking about indian support as it is to

do with reconciliation, introducing a 13th amendment. constitutional changes that india supported. at this stage they looked and targeted bringing peace between the communities. just behind me you see the historic jaffna public library, a symbol of culture, burnt down during the cause of the war, it's significant. he came and met the chief minister of the northern province and the governor he essentially watched a performance, but the messages are not of affinity between india and sri lanka, an affinity strained in previous years with the previous government. closely aligned. here in the northern province not just did he talk but sri lanka, in its pursuit of a future for all communities, and the tamil minority which he said would brink equality,

justice, dignity and peace for all. he talked about the fact that the tamil national alliance who he spoke to should not rock the boat should acknowledges the fact and realise that it's 2 months since the government took office. there's a lot of work to be done giving equality and addressing the grievances of the people. that the new government may need time. >> he was a man that defied british rule. a statue of mahatma gandhi has been unveiled in parliament scare. the heart of british stasht. he's the first indian to be honoured. it's a bronze statue located a few meters away from a sculpture of the former british prime minister winston churchill who call her a half-naked bachir.

it's the 100th anniversary since his return. don't forget you can keep up to date with the stories, get a lot of backhand and analysis on the al jazeera website - aljazeera.com. night. hello, i'm ray suarez, you would a guessed that a lot of american schoolkids live in poverty, we have known for a long time that poverty has a lot to say about where you go to school and who is at the desk next to yours. this of the last few days a striking number emerged from the nation's classrooms, a survey from the southern education foundation reports that a majority of american public schoolchildren life in poverty. 51% of students attending public school were from low income