farther north in beiji, this is a much different scene.part of a huge oil refinery burns, now controlled by isis. fears are growing terrorists could scorch and burn the site as they clear out, potentially triggering a catastrophe on a scale not yet seen in this war. ny p-- nick paton walsh was there as forces swooped in. >> reporter: yesterday during a thick sand storm here they used the cover of it to advance within 20 meters of here. when the sand storm subsided, suddenly a fire fight began. we don't know why they start shooting this day, when they may have seen. isis are few in number here they say, but willing to die and have a sniper nearby. >> joining me now onset, retired u.s. army general. a pleasure. an honor to have you on. while storming ramadi you have isis storming also sent troops to beiji. so you have this distraction, diversionary tactic happening. so from a battle perspective, do the iraqi military guys do they have what it takes to split up like that or should they just stop pause, and focus on one city? >> well it's a ti

beiji oil refinery is a major source of income for whoever is in control of it. it is unclear why isil would set fire to it. we've seen isil use these tactic tactics before. they used car bombs in ramadi when they overtook that city just a few days ago. this may keep iraqi forces out for a good. >> fighting in yemen's city of taiz houthies and fighters loyal to the exiled presidential have been fighting over a tanker. >>> isil fight verse killed more than hundred people in and around palmyra since capturing it last week. the dead include government soldiers and civilians accused of backing bashar al-assad. >>> the war in syria has forced many people to look for safety in lebanon but fears are growing about the risk of disease in refugee camps there. many of the refugees brought their livestocks, their former livelihoods into the camps but often without the proper vaccinations. >> when this family left syria three years ago they took their livestock with them. some died on the way to lebanon. others were sold. only seven sheep and goats from a his herd made it. >>

the iraqi security forces are now advancing towards beiji to take it. >> iraq's largest oil refinery burns in the distance. fighters from the islamic state in iraq and the levant who are inside the refinery have set fire to part of it in a bid to stop advances by iraqi security forces. isil have set off nine car bombs killing dozens of iraqi security forces and shia militia fighters. this isil video is shown showing them burning machinery. the destruction is hampering efforts to recapture the refinery. >> it's an open terrain which isil have ridden it with boobie traps and roadside bombs. we're hopeful that our forces can overcome these obstacles. the enemy is desperate and therefore is trying different methods to hold our advance. [ gunfire ] >> the facility has been hard fought over, over the last six months. iraqi forces at times have claimed they were in control. the oil refinery is a huge source of income for whoever controls it. now, this might be a direct push to keep iraqi security forces out for good. al jazeera baghdad. >> neighboring syria activists say 15 people have been

iraqi security forces are now advancing towards beiji to try to take it. we have reports. >> iraq's largest oil refinery burns in the disfans. fighters from the islamic state in iraq and the levant who are on the inside of the refinery took a bid to stop parts of the iraqi forces. they killed set off nine car bombs. this isil video is showing them burning machinery inside the areas they control. iraqi security forces say the destruction is hindering their efforts to recapture the refinery. >> we're about two kilometers radius from the refinery. equity it's an open terrain in which isil has ridden it with boobie traps and roadside bombs. they have lost manpower, and now are trying different methods to hold our advance. >> the facility has been hard fought over for the last six months. both isil and iraqi security forces claiming that they've been in control. beiji oil refinery is a major source and it's unclear why isil would set fire to it. we have seen isil use these type of tactics before. user car bombs in ramadi when they took over that city ten days a

. >> meanwhile iraq has sent reinenforcements to the beiji oil refinery. is on the road to ill's stronghold to mosul. so if they want to retake the second largest city they have to retake beiji. much of isil's funding has come from selling it's oil on the black market. >>> police say a bomb went off in baghdad area. there has been a spike in bombing in the past few days. >>> a judge has sentenced four men to death for the beating and killing of a woman. she was accused burning a copy of the qur'an. >> the murder trial has been closely watched in afghanistan. the trial was broadcast live on national television. 49 people including 19 policemen were accused. four of them have been given the harshest punishments. >> we have sentenced each of you to capital death. this is not definite. you have a right to appeal. >> she was wrongly accused of burning the qur'an. she was brutally attacked in kabul in march. they beat and kicked her and set her body on fire. hundreds of people watched. some people even recorded it on their phones. that evidence was used in the c

fire to the country's largest oil refinery iraqi forces are on their way to the strategic city of beijio try to recapture the facility. >> reporter: iraq's largest oil refinery in beiji turns in the distance. fighterers from islamic state of iraq and the levant have set fire to parts of it in a bid to top iraq's security forces advance. this video is said to show them burning machinery. iraqi security forces say the destruction is hindering their efforts to recapture the refinery. >> translator: we are about two kilometers radius from the refinery yet it is an open terrain. isil have booby trapped it. we're hoping our forces will overcome these obstacles. the enemy is desperate and therefore is trying different methods to hold our advance. [ gunfire ] >> reporter: the facility has been hard fought over for the last six months with both isil and the iraqi security forces at different times claiming they have been in control. beiji oil refinery is a major source of income whoever is in control of it so it's unclear why isil would set fire to it. we have seen them use these tactics before

but even as the pentagon admits beiji is important, its value as a prize has been diminished because it's reduced all the fighting to rubble, as one pentagon official puts it, a pile of junk. the u.s. estimates it could take the refinery up to a year and a half to get up and running again. one thing the pitched battle shows, is the long awaited retaking of mosul will be awaited a lot longer. >> kalil jehan very good to have you with us, kal inkl. the u.s. had offered a $7 million reward on afri's head, but an iraqi official told news week that afri is actually more important to i.s.i.l. than baghdadi, at least now, do you agree? >> not necessarily. i think that's basically the view or the perspective of the iraqi government in the sense is he the acting if you will executive of islamic state right now, in the absence of al baghdadi who was injured a few months back and hasn't been able to fulfill his duties. so he is in a way from the iraqi government perspective dysfunctional, so this guy is more important in the sense that he is running the day-to-day affair of the islamic state. >

in beiji burns in the distance.ights of islamic state of iraq and the levant have set fire to parts of it in a bid to stop advances by iraqi security forces. isil have set off at least nine car bombs killing dozens. this isil video is said to show them burning machinery inside the areas they control. the destruction is hindering their efforts to recapture the refinery. >> translator: we are about two kilometers raid douse from the refinery yet isil has rigged it with booby traps, and roadside bombs. we're hoping our forces will overcome these obstacles. the enemy is desperate, and therefore, is trying different methods to halt our advance. [ gunfire ] >> reporter: the facility has been hard fought over for the last six months with both isil and the iraqi security forces at different times claiming they have been in control. this is a major source of income whoever is in control of the refinery. so it's unclear why they would set fire to it. we have seen them use this tactic before. this might be a direct push to try

president barack obama made it clear why he inviteed president beiji kayep asipsi. >> it is important to acknowledge the place where the arab spring began, is the place we have seen the most extraordinary progress in allowing all parties and all parts of the population including women and minorities participate fully in the civic and political life of the nation. >> and he gave them more than just kind words but announced he is designating teuns a designating tunisia a nonarab ally of the us. >> it gives these countries the abled to buy lets them engage in technological communication with the u.s.a we see you as an important technical pattern. >> the majority of money given for economic growth, 80 million to improve governance. the message to the u.s. he is making progress. >> however important the milestone tunisia has reached we are still midway, we have a long way ahead of us. >> reporter: but with the with war in libya next door he came here looking for more military aid. the u.s. says he'll get it. double assistance in the coming year. patty culhane al jazeera washington. >> a ne

. >>> popular mobilization forces are fighting in beiji. these stills show rockets thee seized from government troops fighting al nusra. >>> fifa president sepp blatter denies he's to blame. he said he's the man to restore world football. >> they wanted him fifth term of sepp blatter and he's not happy. >> i forgive but i don't forget persons or fact. >> david gill, a newly elected member from europe has chosen not to attend in a protest to blatter's re-election. the manchester united director said he could not see any positive changes in fifa while blatter was in charge. s one detail in a growing split between fifa and europe's governing uefa who backed blatter's rival brings ali hussein. >> you have the best players. but when it comes to clubs if you don't have the prayers from the other continents then they will not be so rich or so good in football. they have to be an example not only to save fifa, but they shall help, come in and take responsibility and responsibility you cannot take when you're elected you don't even come to the first

fighters have reportedly set iraq's biggest oil being refinery on fire, be beiji, to retake it. from baghdad imiran khan's reports. >> reporter: iraq's largest refinery in baiji burns. stop advances by iraqi security forces. i.s.i.l. have set off at least nine car bombs killing dozens of security forces and shia fighters. this video shows them burning machinery inside the territory they control. hindering their efforts to recapture the refinery. >> translator: we are about two kilometers radius from the refinery yet it is in open terrain in which i.s.i.l. have rigged it with booby trapped trenches sand bear racks and bombs, therefore trying different methods to hold our advance. >> reporter: the facility has been hard fought over for the last six months with both i.s.i.l. and iraqi security forces at different times claiming they've been in control. baiji oil refinery is a major resource, whoever is in control it is hard to see why i.s.i.l. would set fire to it. car bombs in ramadi when they took that city just over ten days ago. this might be a direct push to keep the iraqi sec

. >> iraq has september reinforcements to the beiji oil refinery after heavy fighting.t's on the road to isil's stronghold of mosul. >> afghan judge has sentenced four men to death for the murder of a woman when was lynched and beaten to death in broad daylight. she was attacked after being wrongly accused of burning the qur'an. there is concern about the speed with which the verdicts were reached. >> the murder trial has been closely watched in afghanistan. the trial was broadcast live on national television. 49 people including 19 policemen were accused. four of them have been given the harshest punishments. >> we have sentenced each of you to capital punishment, death our decision on these people are not definite. they have the right to appeal. >> the 27-year-old was wrongly accused of burning a qur'an. she was brutally attacked bay mob in central kabul in march. they beat and kicked her then set her body on fire. hundreds of people watched. some people even recorded it on their phones. that evidence was used in the case. her family were in court. her brother has tol

they say they have weapons they seized from government troops in battles west of beiji. now a suicide-bomber has attacked a mosque in maiduguri. eight people have been killed and 20 injured in that attack, which happened as people headed to the mosque for prayers. it's the second attack to maiduguri on saturday. earlier rocket grenades killed 13 people. >>> thousands of people are fleeing violence inside sudan's unity state. the u.n. said that the situation is the worst it's been for months. catherine soi reports now from bentiu. >> this men have just arrived at a camp for displaced people in unity state. they come from a village they've been on a road for 24 days. they only dare to walk at night in fear of government soldiers. they carry their father, who is too weak and sick. he died on arrival here. >> my dad's health had improved. he was even walking and talking. i went to look for his food. when i returned he had died. >> after days on the road one-week-old has also just arrived. her mother gave birth to her on the day they escaped from the village after an assault

isil fighters hold large sections of the beiji complex in iraq's north. >>> all right. story, that is of course the fifa corruption scandal. major international sponsors have threatened to pull their support from the organization. jonah hull has more details. ♪ >> reporter: fifa may be learning to its cost but in the billion dollars world of big brand advertising, bad publicity can be the most expensive. the current corruption schedule theretoening to rub off on world cup sponsors and they are not happy. this lengthy controversy has tan initialled the mission and ideals of the fifa world cup, says coca-cola. mcdonald's says it takes matters of ethics and corruption very seriously. saying: visa expressed disappointment and concern saying: >> the tipping point might be the negativity becomes so large that fifa becomes a toxic brand. it might be that the companies think ethically they can't afford to pursue this kind of relationship. it might be they feel they have their own legal liabilities. so there are a whole host of things that might make the companies think again. >

it sits on the corridor that runs from baghdad to kirkuk -- correction beiji kirkuk and over to mosul. it actually also sits on a corridor that runs from the tigris to the euphrates, so it's geographically significant as well as economically. so it's a very important place. the iraqis are under pressure there and have lost some control of the perimeter and some of the road network that leads to it through the 'em placement of, especially ieds. we've been working with them, we've conducted 26 airstrikes since the 5th of may. we've been working with we call it a mobile training team in baghdad airport to assist them in rigging air drops and just recently they conducted an air drop to resupply the force that's at beiji and very successfully, by the way 18 of 18 pallets landed on the intended target. so the iraqis understand the significance and are working to insure they retain control of the beiji oil refinery. >> the, there are about 90 of the trainees in this company-sized tranche, first tranche that i referred to. you asked about green on blue possibility. first of all these are high

now, we get to the beiji oil refinery.there is a fierce fight going on for the oil refinery, and it keeps changing hands between isil and the iraqi security forces. let's get down to the nitty-gritty here and anbar province. they have areas they can control in that province. they have a fight for the roads it's predominantly desert so they need to control the roads. they're already in the center of fallujah, they want to get into the center of ramadi. that sparked a crisis. >> okay, coming up on al jazeera we'll examine why foreign policy has largely been ignored in the lead up to u.k. election. >> they're not happy. they're angry. these indonesia football fans. we'll tell you why. hungry and risking it all... >> these people wanna get as far away as they can >> the migrant crisis sweeping europe, are governments turning their backs on those that need help the most? >> compass with sheila macvicar only on al jazeera america >> now shelling by houthi rebels in yemen has forced saudi arabia to close all schools in the southe

the capital baghdad iraqi security forces are now advancing towards beiji. to retake it. from baghdad imran khan reports. >> reporter: fighters from the islamic state of iraq and the levant who are inside the refinery have set fire to parts of it in a bid to stop advances by iraqi security forces. i.s.i.l. have set off at least nine car killing many is iraqi security forces. say the destruction is hindering their efforts to recapture the refinery. >> translator: we are about two kilometers radius from the refinery yet it is in open terrain in which i.s.i.l. have rigged it with boopy trapped trenches sand bakers and road sigh bombs. the enemy is desperate and lost manpower and fire power now and therefore is trying different methods to hold our advance. >> reporter: the facility has been hard fought over for nine months different times claiming one side or the other is in control. major source of income whoever is in control of it. it is unclear why i.s.i.l. would set fire to it. we have seen i.s.i.l. use these type of tactics before particularly the car bombs in ramadi wh

is doing is exploiting these differences and basically making advances that just in ramadi, in beijillujah and other parts of syria as well, including homs, one of the most important provinces in which assad consolidated his power. >> using it to their advantage fawaz, you mentioned a lot of factors there, what needs to change in the yearly overrule yoaferl overall strategy? >> what the american and iraqi gofs isgovernments is top down strategy. without a clear localized strategy you need a bottom-up strategy. you need to dislodge i.s.i.l. from within the sunni community. we are going around the question why has i.s.i.l. made advances? it has blended in with sunni communities. we have shied away from the truth, it has been able to find home and refuge to recruit people. last night the leader of i.s.i.l, abu ba carr abu bakar baghdadi, this was a fight not about the islamic state, it is about the future of muslims sunni muslims, this is strategic message that i.s.i.l. has been able to get across. >> how do you drive a wedge in that loins how do you persuade those that might either be

especially that isis are very interested to have the factory there in beiji and to control it. so replacing someone like abu sayeff. it would affect all the contacts that he had made. but at the end there will be some let's say impairment in other issue on the economical issue. i think if the coalition plus the iraqi forces made a real effort, they will have the intelligence effort. they will have another victory. this is the issue. if you assist people on the ground they will help you to get more information about isis. this is the simple thing. >> interesting to get your views. thank you for your time. >> you're most welcome. >> the taliban launched it's fascinating fighting in afghanistan. jennifer grassjennifer glasse has this report. >> these villagers are standing up against the taliban who are so close that they have to crouch behind the wall to keep from being shot. >> the enemy right now is about 100 meters away. do you see them in the trees? they're there. they're lying in ditches. >> he has about 170 men against taliban force nearly twice that. they only have basic w

if government forces want to retake iraq's largest city, they must secure beiji. much of isil's funding has come from selling oil on the black market. wills that been a spike in bombings in baghdad in the past few days. of a afghan judge has sentenced four men to dead for the beating and death of a woman in broad daylight. she was wrongly accused of burning a copy of the qur'an. concerns have been made about the speed with which the verdicts were reached. caroline malone reports. >> reporter: the murder trial has been closely watched in afghanistan. the trial was broadcast live on national television. 49 people including 19 policemen were accused. four of them have been given the harshest punishments. >> we have sentenced each of you to capital punishment, death. our decision on these four people is not definite, they have the right to appeal. >> 27-year-old was wrongly accused of burning a qur'an. she was brutally attacked by a mob in kabul. they beat and kicked her and then set her body on fire. hundreds of people watched. some people even recorded it on their p

says the iraqi forces face a tough task removing isil fighters from the beiji oil refinery.hey say it is impossible to know how it will play out. much of isil's funding has come from selling oil on the black market. >>> voting is well underway now in the u.k. general election in what could be the tightest political race in years. 650 seats are being contested, and around 50 million people are registered to vote. >> reporter: calm weather across the u.k. on polling day, and voters turned out by the millions. the polling stations opened at breakfast time church halls, pubs even a care home became for the day places where people could put a cross in the box. most of the party leaders turned out early for their votes and for the photographers. the prime minister in his countryside constituency the labor leader further north. and as well the scottish national party leader. the u.k. independence party leader by the seaside, the leader of the greens in london and many others too. so here are the numbers. 650 seats in the parliament. for a party to gain the confidence of the house,

further north in beiji, more fighting has broken out around the country's largest oil refinery.uest says the goal for the united states should be protecting baghdad at all costs. he's kevin carroll. kevin served as a u.s. army officer in afghanistan and iraq. welcome. >> thanks for having me on. >> listen you know of all people the significance of baghdad. you know that you cannot have a black isis flag flying above, you know the u.s. embassy there. what is number one thing the u.s. needs to do to prevent that from happening? >> that's right, brooke. it would be a strategic disaster. i think we need to change our current strategy which is clearly not working. i think we need to ramp up air strikes, special operations. we have to capture and interrogate isis leaders and put ground combat forces in. >> isis is strong strategically. you point out in a piece of yours recently that in the fight for ramadi there were these three huge truck bombs. i have talked to many many generals here one has recently as last hour, and they're saying to me baghdad will not fall to isis. but i also k

and a couple of days earlier they launched at least four different suicide attacks in southwestern beijithe clashes had been concentrated. >> laith, always good to see you. thank you very much. >>> coming up a look at america's most secure prison home to dozens of terrorists and where boston marathon bomber dzhokhar tsarnaev may be spending the rest of his life if he escapes the death penalty. >>> and a principal under fire for a racially charged comment at a graduation ceremony speaks out about the incident. >> i'm not a racist. i didn't know black people was a racist term. i didn't say the "n" word or anything like that because that's not in my vocabulary. hello! this little beauty here is top-of-the-line. see, you just pull like this to go left. and like so to go right. where are the brakes? uh, just grab ahold of both and pull straight back. and the "whoa!" is optional. you wouldn't buy a motorcycle without handlebars. no thanks. and you shouldn't ride a motorcycle without geico insurance. roadside assistance, 24 hour service, great rates. geico motorcycle. see how much you could sav