iraqi security forces and i.s.i.l. fighters battle for control in anbar province there's heavy losses on both side hello there, with the top stories on al jazeera. searching for survivors. residents in the syrian city of aleppo comb through the rubble to find loved ones after a government air strike. >> on a mission of reconciliation, pope francis arrives in bosnia for a one-day visit plus an estimated 20 million nigerians suffering from mental illness.

we have a special report on new attempt to help them we begin in iraq where there has been heavy fighting between i.s.i.l. and iraqi security forces. most has been in anbar. security forces backed by the hair have been using antitank mill ills to stop i.s.i.l. fighters driving explosive driven vehicles. 22 soldiers have been killed after the base was struck. 55 i.s.i.l. reports are believed to have been killed in a bid to push the group back. imran khan reports. >> reporter: the aftermath of a

battle. filmed by soldiers keen to show they are not slowing down. mounting losses suggest they are right. 22 killed, most iraqi soldiers and shia militias that fled ramadi. the u.s. which has been carrying out air strikes to help the iraqis says even so the strategy will not change of the the plan conditions. to the west it's entering whether or not military commanders call the second phase. backed by u.s.-led air strikes, soldiers and militias gain control of pockets of areas. >> translation: i saw pockets of terrorists. we are seizing control of the area we are standing in. we have secured the area and provided security for the residents of the we were backed up by army jet fighters. it was a surprise to the terrorists that we accomplished the manages in a few hours. >> the task now includes patrol

a dangerous mission in the land that borders anbar. i.s.i.l. attacks killed dozens in the past few days. i.s.i.l. showed its ability to advance on several fronts when iraqi forces were distracted. a bit to consolidate power is key, before the focus is an ramadi. >> in many ways the counter battle for anbar is one for control of roads, towns and villages. i canny security forces had success in taking back the roads, towns and villages and they are using it as a staging post for a battle to retake ramadi. i.s.i.l. fighters have an advantage. they have two major boarder crossings and are using them for reinforcement, giving the iraqi security forces a serious challenge in syria, the fatah army kurdish and rebel groups is consolidateing a hold on the

highway, leading into latakia. the group said the aim is to take latakia, the ancestral home of the president bashar al-assad syrian government is increasing air strikes in aleppo. fighter jets are trying to wipe out the rebel groups and i.s.i.l. fighters, who are battling each other. no area is spared not even hospitals. >> reporter: with no help or equipment the syrians in northern aleppo dig to find survivors. they are picking through the rubble after an air strike on friday killing three people. while civilians face bombardment from the air, on the ground they have to dodge battles between i.s.i.l. fighters and various rebel factions. and the latest - several fighters on both sides were killed in the aleppo countryside.

the province is a focal point for armed groups, all operating within it, and vying for control. inside the hospital in aleppo, the flow of wounded doesn't stop. patients are treated anywhere there's space - on tables, and on the floor. exhausted medical teams work for free, and with constant fear that they are the next target. >> reporter: hospitals are suffering from shortage of supplies. the working crews are not getting paid. >> field hospitals are under pressure because the main hospitals are in ruins, this was one of the four largest hospitals in aleppo. medical equipment is strewn across the room in a barrel bomb attack. >> the hospital is significant as it provides most of the

surgerical and medical specialists. in the past year and a half. there has been 11 barrel bombs. three others came under attacks. >> with no form of protection, and no health system. the people - makeshift hospitals are the only help they can get it's the final day of campaigning ahead of turkey's parliamentary elections. the ak party is seeking a fourth term. the vote seen as a referendum on their performance. two people died in an explosion at an opposition rally in the south an egyptian appeals court flew out a decision that the group hamas should be on the terror list. a court ruled that the armed wing - ruled the armed wing was a terrorist organization and extended it. hamas is an offshoot to egypt's outlawed muslim brotherhood.

gaza agrees the group of carrying out attacks in the sinai peninsula to the war in yemen. saudi arabia said it shot down a missile fired into the kingdom. state tv said it was fired by houthi rebels, coming hours after three saudi soldiers and a border guard were said to have been killed on the border of jazan and naj ram. we have the details. this is what houthi tv described as a destroyed outpost. they say they took control of this military area in jazan. the saudi military says it defended the attack. dozens were involved in the battle. renegade soldiers allied to former president ali abdullah saleh and houthis were involved. for weeks there has been squirmishes on the saudi 15km border with yemen. on saturday, saudi arabia said

the air defense system shot down a scud missile, and they believe the target was an air base in the south-western city. >> the houthis - surprisingly, we didn't expect a saudi invasion of yemen. but for the houthis to invade 60 to 70km inside of jazan, and continue. this is a serious issue. saudi arabia they must deal with it seriously before it gets out of hand. >> reporter: the saudi-led coalition began its offensive in yemen, saying it anticipated a threat from the/houthis after it overthrew the government. since the air strikes have been hitting houthi positions in several areas. the houthis and ali abdullah saleh loyalists are trying to take territory from tribes loyal to the government in exile. residents in tiaz say their homes are hit by heavy weapons, and pro-government forces are resisting houthi advances, but

there are hopes to bring all sides to a settlement amid intense fighting. the u.n. says the houthis, and the president abd-rabbu mansour hadi agrees to send representatives to a meeting in june in geneva. >> right now it looks very hopeful, and the international community hopes that they'll go to geneva, and resolve it. if the last two months showed the world anything, it showed us by bombing the yemeni people, it will not solve the problems. there has to be negotiations between the various parties. >> reporter: more than 2,000 people died, and over a million displaced in the fighting. for now, all yemenis can do is hope for an end to the fighting. the leader of the roman catholic church, pope francis held mass for thousands in the bosnian capital sarie evo. he urged coets, muslims to leave their troubled past behind them.

laurence lee reports. war means destroyed houses streets and factories, and means, above all, countless shattered lives, you know this well, having experienced it here how much suffering, how much destruction, how much pain. in the beautiful town they have had good reason to reflects on the importance of the visit.

he is a muslim during the war, and forced to dig trenches for the soldiers in the hills around the town as they attacked the muslim majority. his marriage to its croat wife did not fail. it's a love story across the ethnic divide that would make the pope's heart burst with joy. >> translation: we gained strength staying together during the war. today we live happily together despite our ethnic difference. >> translation: all the people from bosnia is thrilled with the pope visiting. his message of peace will make it better. >> reporter: he is president of a local association for hundreds of survivors of the war camps, one of hundreds catering for all ethnic groups. look at the condition. they have not received a penny from any government.

>> there's three presidents, a serb, a croat and a bosniak muslim. there's sill segregation. inside parts of the education system and some serb and croat politicians want greater autonomy for their own communities. for all of that many say they are ready for greater and greater reconciliations. the question is whether their politicians have caught up with them. >> reporter: the pope met the presidents echoing the call for greater understanding. there'll be more of this next month when the former u.s. president comes here to mark the 20th anniversary of the srebrenica massacre. in places like this, you would never no there'd never been a war, and children not born when it ended has a chance to build on what has been accomplished. it will not be easy, the forces of political division have not gone away. still ahead here an al

jazeera... >> i'm nicle johnson in afghanistan. coming up the latest on a taliban attack in the northern province. and we meet the artist giving people in new york a different view of a recognisable landmark.

hello again, our top stories - there has been heavy fight, in iraq's anbar province

between i.s.i.l. and iraqi security forces in the air base in anbar. military soldiers told us 22 soldiers and shia militias have been killed after i.s.i.l. attack attack the. >> three died. tried to wipe out groups and fighters battling each other for control of the area. pope francis has been holding mass. the pontiff urged bosnian serbs croat and muslims to leave trouble paths behind them afghan security forces tried to retake control of the north-eastern gang gang district. it's been seized by taliban fighters after launching an assault. the district police headquarters was attacked from four sides.

nicole johnson joins us now. that battle is ongoing, what are you hearing. >> that's right, the operation is under way. afghan special forces have been dropped in by helicopter right in the middle of the district coming from kabul, and african security forces came by road to try and retake that district. it's not the first time that the taliban managed to take control of the district usually they are not able to hold it. what they are able to do is loot the district hours are, and that means taking weapons and vehicles left behind. the northern provinces have been the scope of a lot of trouble over the last six weeks. the taliban spring offensive is under way, and has been focussing on the north, an area where there's not as many security force, and it's exposed. >> what is the impact on the

insecurity. it may be up in the north. where you are, it's a tourist area, what impact does it have on that? >> that's right, the impact is felt across the country. we are here in the province regarded as one of the safest if not the safest place in afghanistan. the problem here is though, that all the neighbouring provinces are dangerous, unsafe. it's not safe enough to travel by road. that means that both local and foreign tourists have stopped coming here. you'll hear about that in our report. >> reporter: daylight creeps across the valley. and it feels like the most peaceful place on earth. in others parts of the province, the taliban is fighting afghan security forces. three giant caves loom over the

valley - the scars left behind when the taliban blew up buddhist statutes in 2001. the destruction shocked the world. this has been declared the first cultural capital. you can see how beautiful this valley is. you have the cliff where the buddhas were carved and hundreds of caves where the monks lived. it was an ancient trading hub on the old silk road between the east and west. culture ministers from across south asia were expected to attend the inauguration. at the last minute they cancelled. the local government believed it was because of security concerns. >> translation: the government of afghanistan is keen to bring international tourists here. they'll do the maximum to ensure they are safe. they have endorsed their decision, and they will help them bringing the tourists from south countries.

for the inauguration, 2,000 afghani security forces have been brought in to protect less than 200 government officials. >> the security is different to other provinces, we have a high security alert based on the threats from neighbouring regions, areas boarding the area are not safe. >> a few kilometres from where the buddhas stood or sat are the ruins of the 13th century citadel. it was destroyed by genghis khan. the battle so violent it was called the city of screams. here i meet the director of cmonuments and he says tourism can't develop until afghanistan is secure. >> now it's the capital of culture attracting. but the main problem here is roads are not safe, we don't have an airport. it's not easy for tourists to get here.

>> the title of cultural capital may remind people that deep in the mountains is a lush valley where buddhism flourished and travellers rested under the gaze of colossal statues. thousands are protesting in southern germany ahead of the g7 summit. they are demanding action on climate change and are expected to disrupt talks between world leaders in bavaria. more than 1,000 police and military are on standby. the japanese prime minister made a stop in ukraine on his way to the g7 summit in germany. shinzo abe held talks with president petro porashenko. japan is ready to provide support, and is one of the nations imposing sanctions in russia. >> india's prime minister narendra modi arrived in neighbouring bangladesh on the first official visit, and is due to sign a land pack with the

sheikh. it allows tens of thousands living on the border to choose their nationally. they have been stateless for decades. living in enclaves in one country, and being citizens of another. they are spaebd expected to sign trade and transport deals. the chinese operator of a cruise ship that capsized killing 398 people has apologised. it sank on monday. people are still missing. the captain and the first engineer are in police custody. 14 survived. many are still missing western equatorial state in south sudan launched a back to learning campaign a $42 million initiative to get 400,000 children who dropped out of school to go back. they are up against the odds.

>> reporter: students from across this town come together for a celebration. [ singing ] >> reporter: and a call to action. [ ♪♪ ] >> reporter: marching through the streets of the provincial capital, these young people are carving out a new patted to south sudan. one where on the base of poverty and violence, education comes first. >> as long as we have peace in the state, i feel that education will prosper and grow better. of course if there is still insecurity in the country, education will fall apart. western equatorial state has been space of violence officials maintain the attacks are random. the united nations children's fund at the launch of its back to learning campaign says education will be key to achieving future peace. >> we have ambitious plans to

get 20,000 children back to school in every state in the country to a total of 400,000. so far we have reached about 80,000 reopening more than 100 schools. we have some way to go. >> the odds are stacked against them. 10 years ago a girl here would have been more likely to die in childbirth than to finish primary school. schools are underresourced and understaffed due to a lack of funding. >> scenes like these - they have been few and far between. 22 year civil war ended with independence from the north. violence broke out in 2013. with those loyal to the president fighting with those backing a former deputy. those here say the right to education must endure as these students hold the hope of a stable future

it's believed that around 20 million nigerians suffer mental illness, but there are few psychiatrists in the country, and most can't afford professional help. therefore they have no choice but to turn to traditional healers. >> this woman was hearing voices telling her to harm herself. her family handcuffed herself, bringing her here, to a traditional doctor. >> it's believed that she is demonized, and is using herbs, leaves and other natural ingredients. >> when people come and tell me they have a problem with their head. i pray. god tells me the cause of the problems. god shows me that these are the issues. through that i know what herbs and leaves to give them. when i give it to them.

god relieves them of the problem. >> reporter: most nigerians suffering mental disorders, like depression, anxiety and schizophrenia go to traditional doctors and healers. that's because there's no treatment for 90% of patients in conventional hospitals. some are referred here to the national hospital in abuja. it's a long way to travel for people in rural areas, and most nigerians live and expensive to get here. >> less than 10% of people with mental health issues living in nigeria ever get to see personnel. and i'm talking whether they see a nurse, a doctor, psychologist. psychiatrist. according to health officials, there are only 130 psychiatrists in nigeria and more than 20 million people suffering from various types of mental illnesses. to try and close the treatment

gap, doctors in nigeria, kenya, garner are starting a trial next month, combining conventional treatment. it's funded by the national institute of mental health in the united states. they believe the trial will improve the services of traditional doctors. >> people believe in them. that's why they go to them. they cannot be ignored. at the same time we need to improve what they do. we can't say we are going to wait for a psychologist or social workers. >> reporter: during the trial conventional doctors, nurses and community health workers will visit patients like medical facilities. if successful, it's rolled out in as many places as possible. there's worries the programme may be too expensive. in the second part of our series on how countries deal with mental health illnesses we recognise how it's recognised as a serious problem among young people in hong kong. that's 10:00p.m. sunday here on

al jazeera in honduras thousands rally against government corruption in the capital. demonstrators are demanding the resignation of the president, after he admitted his election campaign took money from people linked to an embezzlement scandal. he denied personal involvement new york's rockefeller building is known for art deco building high-end stores and the christmas tree. a new piece of art it providing a different view. the artist describes it. >> i'm from england, based in los angeles, i'm a sculptures. this is my first big public prospect. a mask fascinates me. the face is what it means to look at what it means to

recognise. in a weird way it coalesced. i now the eyes would give a view of the city. to me it's been a real pleasure. it's been interesting. it's a structure, it's not even you always have one of the masks being in the plain of the other of the they are reacting to each other. by doing a pentagon it opened up the space, to make it. we need creativity. it's an important component of life and this gives you the opportunity to address the public with this. it's not selling you, it's not a billboard, it's not trying to show you a lifestyle. it kind of ran in and that was supermovingful it was beautiful. the kids intrinsically understood it.

and wanted to go on and make masks for the teacher. that couldn't be a better - like that's like a blessing. >> and as ever you can keep up to date with all the very latest news and views on our website. that's it. aljazeera.com. intersection of hardware and humanity, but we're doing it in a unique way. this is a show about science... >> oh! >> oh my god! >> by scientists. tonight... the digital divide. >> if you had the world's fastest internet, what would you do with it? >> the promise of the digital superhighway. lightning fast hook-ups to the web, but not for most of the u.s.