mourning in iraq. hello there. i'm felicity barr. this is al jazeera live from london. also coming up, the battle for palmyra. government forces say they've taken control of three parts of the city. as brussels continues to mourn its dead, belgium police charge three suspects with terror offenses.

and why the rival of traditional music in cambodia is a very thrill act. >> hello, identitiers from the islamic state in iraq and the levant killed 18 iraqi soldiers in an attack on "n" one of the country's largest military bases. ten bombers stormed the air base northwest of baghdad. eight attackers were reportedly killed, and the other two blew themselves up. well, here's what we know about the al-assad air force base. it's located in anbar province 120 kilometers from ramadi. hundreds of u.s. military advisers and trainers use the base to support iraqi troops. the u.s. military said that there were no attacks in or near the u.s. side of the base. the forces launched an offensive last week to retake anbar province.

60% to 70% of the province is controlled by isil. we have more from the iraqi capital of baghdad. >> eight to ten fighters from isil who succeeded in entering the base. some blue themselves up and others were killed. some fighters, some soldiers from iraqi forces killed in clashes before iraqi forces killed all of those people. but the didn't say exactly how many iraqi soldiers have been killed in this operation. they did not talk about whether those fighters reach their facilities or offices. but another source upon the area said that those fighters are fighters to the offices under

the control of american forces in this base. and it is known around 300 or 400 advisers of american forces are in this base, but at this moment the clashes happen inside the base and those who have been killed inside the base are only iraqis, and these clashes did not reach the american offices. >> a suicide-bomb at a football stadium south of baghdad killed 30 people and injured hundreds more. >> the end of a friday football game and it's time to present

the prove. but among the crowd a suicide-bomb. the explosion killed dozens of people and injured more than 100. it happened 50 kilometers south of baghdad. isil has claimed responsibility for the attack. flying 17-year-old locals as the bomber. iraqi government officials believe it could be isil's losses on the battlefield that may be provoking an increase in attacks like these. less than 4 hours after the bombing, u.n. secretary general arrived in baghdad. ban ki-moon said that isil is exploiting sectarian divisions. again he called on iraq's government to encourage reconciliation between sunni and shia communities. in northern iraq the army said it started clearing villages surrounding the city of mosul. in preparation for the offensive to retake the city sometimes this year. mosul is already cut off on

three sides by kurdish peshmerga forces. the u.s. defense department said that it's looking to increase the number of american troops in iraq to support the country's ground fight against isil. >> bernard smith, al jazeera. >> syrian state media said government forces have taken control of three areas inside the ancient city of palmyra. it is reported that the citadel area on the city's outskirts have been taken by isil fighters. state media shows areas formerly held by isil which still claim to old areas of palmyra. we have this update from th border. >> activists have told al jazeera that they have control of the ancient city of palmyra, but it is only one kilometer away from the city center. so whoever controls that city gives them vantage point going

to the entire city and also probably means military terms they'll be in control of the city itself. we have reports that isil is still putting a large part of the areas and we know that the government forces are also clearing a number of areas. now the entire city of palmyra is quite big for the regime and also for the russians because it connects palmyra with a stronghold to the north and east, and there is an isil stronghold to cut the supply roots for them. >> belgium prosecutors have charged three suspects arrested in connection with the attacks in brussels. thousands of people continue to play floral tributes. but a solidarity plan for sunday has been postponed for security reasons. live now to jacky rowland, who

is in central brussels for us. jacky, what more do you know about these these suspects? >> these three suspects were among people who were arrested during police raids on thursday and friday in different parts of brussels. now, we understand that three of them have been charged with offenses, activities, linked to a terrorist group. that's the official wording of the charges. one of them in particular is attracting particular attention to the belgium media. the prosecution office has named them belgium media tha are reporting that the police are looking at the possibility that he may be the third man in the cctv image released from the airport. that image showed on the left two bombers two men who blue themselves up in the attack, and

the third man who has escaped. >> jackie, we can see that people are still turning up in that memorial behind you. but a planned rally has been postponed, hasn't it? >> yes, it has. the shrines popped up after the killings on tuesday and they've spread all over the square where people come and write poems and send messages. but the bigger march and rally was planned for sunday, and it has attracted many thousands of people all at the same time. that has now been postponed. the authorities have called on the organizers to delay the march because of the current still heightened state of alert here in belgium, and the

organizers. basically the fear was that there was a time when suspects were still on the loose, and police operations still continuing for thousands of people to be gathered here in the center potentially a target for another attack, and really be very difficult for police when the security forces are already over stretched. >> jacky in brussels, many thanks. the former yemeni president ali abdullah saleh has called for an end in the conflict during the country during the mass protest in sanaa. they blamed the saudi american government for the suffering. it's been a year since the coalition began airstrikes in the country. >> on this day in 2015 the assault on the yemeni people started. killings innocent civilians targeting our women and children, destroying civilian households and closing down

schools, universities and factories. >> now the last six months have seen a wave of violence in israel and occupied east jerusalem. so more security measures have been introduced at the landmark a hot spot for that unrest. al jazeera's stephanie dekker is there to see how the violence is effecting. >> damascus gate, an integral part of life in occupied east jerusalem and known to be the busiest entrance into the old city. not any more. the street market sellers have gone. there is now an eerie silence here. >> these days the israeli forces are suspicious of everything. if your hands inside your pockets your hand are on the trigger ready to shoot. the situation is really difficult. >> the damascus gate has become a hot spot during the last six months of attempted stoppings and shootings. it has made the israeli government beef up security here. they now stand behind barriers

they didn't before. there are more security cameras and the trees have been cut. we are told we can no longer film freely here as we used to. we can now only stand in certain locations. >> these steps used to be full of people sitting around and enjoying their day. now that no longer allowed. there is security all around this area and there is sniper positions on either side of the damascus gate. >> they say this amounts to punishment. many people they speak to say that they are scared that any wrong move can get them shot. again security has been increased. mohamed has owned this shop for 40 years. he says that the situation has never been this bad. even during the two previous times. >> this is the worst year of all my life in jerusalem. it is very hard. you have no future for us, no future for the children.

everything--nobody look for jerusalem, and look after jerusalem, it's every day it becomes worse than the day before. >> israeli officials say that the security situation is difficult to control considering the nature of the attacks offered by palestinians acting alone. israeli police have told us that they deploy in the area in order to maintain the safety in. the palestinians human rights groups blame the attacks on the sense of hopelessness and decades of accommodations. what is clear life has been sucked out of this one spot in this historic place replaced by tension and uncertainty. stephanie dekker, al jazeera, occupied east jerusalem. >> we have a report on one of ethiopia's largest ethnic groups and rocking havana, the rolling stones play a historic free

concert to record crowds. in cuba.

>> welcome back and a reminder of the top stories on al jazeera. isil fighters have killed 18 iraqi soldiers in attacks on the largest military bases. ten suicide-bombers storm northwest of baghdad. syrian state media said that government forces have retaken control of three areas inside the ancient city of palmyra from

isil fighters. and belgium prosecutors have charged three suspects in connection with tuesday's bombings in brussels. at least 12,000 refugees remain at the greek macedonia border living in a makeshift camp hoping that macedonia will soon let them in. many refugees are worried that moving away from the borders will cost them their chance to reach northern europe. we follow the latest developments. >> at first i thought the other camps would be better. but then i realized it might be the same. it makes no difference. all we do is change locations. it's better here because it's closer to the border. >> some refugees and migrants who have been stuck along the border with macedonia for weeks now have decided to move the government-run camps for 450 people boarded buses on friday.

and the buss are here today as well, and they're hoping that they can relocate more people but they're also facing another problem. it's not just persuading people to leave here, but the fact there isn't enough space these accommodation centers cannot house all tse people. greek authorities are struggling to deal with this crisis. there are now 50,000 migrants and refugees across the country. but of course there are those who do not want to leave. they still have hopes that the border will open even though many people you talk to are now resigned to the fact that they may be stuck here. but they believe by staying here they can pressure the macedonian authorities, pressure the e.u. and keep their plight in the international media so they will not be forgotten. right now they have to apply for asylum. they have to apply for the relocation program. this is going to take months. and people are grows desperate. especially people who want to be reunited with their families. we were told that it will take a

long time for people to get appointments and they hope that they employ more staff members in order to speed up the proce process. >> the oroma may be ethiopia's largest ethnic groups but they say they're ignored and targeted by their own government. in the second part of the series on the oromo people's plight. >> six-year-old abby and her nine-year-old brother have not been attending classes. the government closed their school three months ago at the start of the crackdown on protests. we were hear in january. days after the children's mother had been shot through the neck during a demonstration. despite eventually receiving medical treatment she died a couple of weeks ago. >> the little girl cries and keeps asking where her mother

is. we feel her pain. the older one cried when his mother was shot and died, but now he seems to understand that she's gone. >> the oromo are ethiopia's largest ethnic group. they have a degree of self rule, but the oromo opposition, some of whose number members have been arrested and detained say the system has been corrupted by the ruling party. >> they were sparked by a development plan, a plan that aims its spreading and increasing development infrastructure out into the surrounding oromo region. but the people have had longstanding issues for the government for decades now. cultural, economic, political, and they say it is these issues that are not being addressed. >> an oromo politician who say that their community deserves

equal opportunity. >> in terms of culture including language, highly marginalized. to take their proper place in this country, i don't think it's going to work, and part of the problem is that the government wants to rule in the old way. people are resisting to be ruled in the old way. >> the protests have come at a time when ethiopia has enjoyed stability and sustained economic growth in recent years. analysts say that the government is afraid that civil unrest may be exploited by armed groups like al-shabab from neighboring somalia. it is repeatedly accused the eretrean government of stirring the unrest. the two countries still have not signed a peace agreement despite the war they fought ending 16 years ago. >> there are forums for

consultation, for debate, for expression of different views. >> the government said it is listening. >> we will address the underlying problems. >> for the family their daughter and mother was a victory of a government that has broken many promises before. charles stratford, al jazeera, ethiopia. >> authorities in pakistan say they've arrested a former indian naval officer for suspected spying. pakistan said that the alleged operatives were captured in its troubled province. on friday islamabad summoned its ambassador to lodge protests. india has denied any

involvement. >> 180,000 indian children die from illness. a vaccination has been developed and will be available in five states. >> myanmar's stock market has opened for business. but when the bell rang only one company was listed. it has risen by 19% in one hour. activists in south korea has sent anti-pyongyang propaganda to the north by balloons. had. chinese write who are was part of an online petition calling for president xi jinping to redesign has been released.

we have more from beijing. >> a lawyer for the chinese journalist who has been missing since march 15th has confirmed that his client was released on friday night. now, he had been taken by police at beijing airport on march 15th just as he was about to board a flight to hong kong. it's whitely thought that he had something to do with a letter that was published earlier this month in a news website. that letter calls for president xi jinping to resign. it also accused the chinese president of concentrating power in his hands of abandoning the principle of collective leadership and of encouraging a cult of personalty centered around himself. the letter remained anonymous signed off as loyal communist member had urged the president to resign for the future of china and it's people. while they may have been

released, the investigation into who might be behind this letter has only intensified. a chinese dissident living in the united states said that police took his parents and younger brother away on tuesday night. his family members live in china, and he has not been able to contact them since. now a news agency is also reporting that at least four employees at the website that first published the letter before it was quickly pulled off have bee also been missing and out of contact for a week. this shows that authorities are deputiening the yakdown and these developments have human rights activists in china concerned because this suggests that not only is there growing intolerance of criticism, but it seems that there is a more disturbing passion of going after critics. >> cambodia's khmer rouge killed

more than 2 million people among them musicians and artists. more than 40 years on they're trying to revive their art. >> a tough teacher. he plays traditional wedding music in cambodia and he expects nothing but perfection from his students. >> this traditional wedding music is my life. i won't stop playing it until i die. and i will continue teaching it to the younger generation. >> but his love of music almost cost him his life. musicians like him were hunted

and killed by the chemical measure rouge regime in the 1970s. murdered more than 2 million people and banned all forms of art in its effort to establish a purely agrerian society uncorrupted by any creative people or intellectuals. >> the khmer rouge wanted no creative expression and many were killed during that period. no religion, no music, no art, no expression. >> within just one generation cambodia's rich heritage was decimated. now they're working with old musicians and dancers to teach a new generation. but they are facing some new challenges. >> increasingly young cambodians are turning away from

traditional music, most are listening to korean pop and american hip-hop, and with that many musicians say they struggle to survive. >> i think the cambodian people want more and more music. not many people understand the traditional music. it is disappearing. [singing] >> for now it is tourist who is are helping to keep traditional art forms alive. these performing artists admit it won't be easy competing against the influx of western music. then again, what they have is well worth saving. al jazeera, cambodia. >> the car bow ship docks at the international space station.

they would use a robotic arm to bring the fresh food and equipment on board. the six astronauts on board received a 3d print for build tools. the rolling stones have played before thousands of fans on the cuban island. lucia newman reports. >> it was a concert many cubans had been waiting for, for almost half a century. the legend deer rolling stones in a performance like none this country has ever seen. entire families three generations, even four enjoy a free concert compliments of the british band which has been around almost as long as the cuban revolution. >> i love it. they're an epic band and i couldn't miss this, said the 13-year-old jean michelle.

from early afternoon people began pouring into havana's open air sports center. the news of this concert has spread like wildfire. people are coming from not only all over cuba but from all over the americas and beyond. fans want to say that they saw history being made when they saw the rolling stones in cuba. people like this irish couple. >> it's a changing time for cuba, and you know, it's the miracle of that change. >> they say that it makes him feel proud. >> when i was young living to the beetles, led zeppelin and the rolling stones was forbidden. we had to listen to them in secret in the '60s and '70s. >> this is a cultural time that times are changing in communist cuba. >> it follows the obama visit by just a couple of days. and so this week is hugely significant and very exciting. >> so it was that this historic

week was wrapped up by an once banned rock band. and that is leaving millions here with a sense that cuba is no longer off the circuit. no longer so isolated. lucia newman, havana. >> and you'll find much more on our website. the address, www.aljazeera.com. depths of the earth, your honor seen and unheard by the world above.