cnn's anna coren is live in erbil. she is in iraq for us where the isis threat has first been felt so keenly. we know, anna, isis has been able to cross back into syria and regroup. it has been led by recruitment and training and by supplies coming from raqqa. this is a significant expansion. >> reporter: without a doubt. it is a step up in the war against isis. as you say, the border between syria and iraq. not recognized by isis. it is porous. this is their islamic state. the caliphate and the defective capital is raqqa. pounded by 50 strikes conducted by the united states and arab nations. taking out buildings and important infrastructure to isis. christine, as we know, these air strikes are not going to win the fight. here in iraq, there have been carrying out for some six weeks. that is how long the air strikes have been going on for. there have been 190 to date according to u.s. central command and french air strikes over the weekend. yes, they have contained isis, but they haven't pushed them back substantially.

our anna coren joins us live from irbil, iraq. it's the morning hours where you are. these strikes were meant to target the strong hold of isis in syria, deplete their ability to train and store weapons. that should have a direct impact on the fight where you are, because it limits their ability to use supply lines that connect irbil and northern iraq with many locations in syria. in a real way, is that really the first immediate change that you would notice over the next few weeks? still there's more to be done with this campaign. >> reporter: look, i think it's fair to say that it's all connected and as far as isis is concerned, there is no border between syria and iraq. this is their islamic state, their caliphate. so they have been moving fighters and weapons very easily. we have to remember that they have taken serious, heavy weaponry, supplies from cities like mosul, iraq, second largest city when iraqi security forces just left back in june, walked away while isis came in, take thing military hardware. much of it from the americans. we're talking high tech equi

cnn's anna coren is standing by in erbil.he refugee crisis, the iraqi part of it, up close. >> reporter: that is right, john. we spent time in a refugee camp close to the syrian border. it is alarming to see the conditions that these people are living in. they are in safety, but you are talking about them living in the plastic tents in the searing heat in the dusty and desolate conditions. they want to go home, but reality is they won't be. they won't be going home anytime soon. the refugee camps are becoming little townships in themselves. the agencies, unhcr is running out of funds and appealing to the international community for more help to meet up with demand. that is one part of the crisis. you mention what's taking place up in the syrian and turkish border. 70,000 have crossed into turkey and that, as you mention in the introduction, a conservative number. the deputy prime minister of turkey says the number is more than 130,000 of the syrian kurds that fled to safety. the forces were not allowing them to come in initia

i want to go to erbil, iraq where anna coren is located.a, you are watching the air strikes for some time. almost 200. 190 plus until now. this is the first expansion of those with other partners and in syria. what is the reaction inside iraq to this new phase? >> reporter: christine, we have been here for the past six weeks. ever since those u.s. air strikes began here in northern iraq. i can tell you from the officials that we spoke to in kurdistan, they have been calling for this for weeks trying to stress the fact they cannot focus attention on iraq. they need to target isis in their safe haven and sanctuary. otherwise, this entire operation is a futile exercise. they welcome the fact, christine, arab countries are involved. they say that is encouraging. they also want there to be intensification of the air campaign here in iraq. you have to remember that while there have been 190 plus air strikes from the u.s. coupled with the french over the weekend, it has been a piecemeal approach. taking out isis targets. enemy positions and armore

anna coren in erbil. thank you. >>> here at home, isis supporters to target times square and other sites. there are no specific threats, but police commissioner bill bratton considers isis more dangerous because of the social media. new york is a plane ride away for the who have the proper documentation. >> there are thousands of fig fighters who will exit that conflict many times. including canadian and australian citizens. the potential for them to come back here is real. >> it also called for attacks on the las vegas strip. >>> a store owner will be in court today to answer to allegations to recruit jihadists. 30-year-old mufid elfi is expected to plead not guilty. he faces more than 60 years in prison if convicted of all of the charges. this is interesting. australia confronts its own isis threat. authorities say they have disrupted the plan of execution of what they only call a member of the public. one person has been arrested. 15 others detained. prime minister tony abbott said the attack was direc

we have anna coren with us live from iraq.ion engaged in the battle in iraq. >> reporter: engaged and committed to isis. we have committed the first lawn of the air strike in iraq. they are restricting them to this country. they are not prepared to go into syria. obviously good news for the iraqis that the french are definitely on board and taking part in those critical air strikes. as far as the united states is concerned, they have launched 176 strikes according to u.s. central command. we have been discussing, john, they are making a huge difference to the operation on the ground providing the cover for the kurdish forces as they try to make those advances against isis. certainly what we are seeing here in iraq is that it is happening. they are gaining momentum. the troops on the ground. it is a piecemeal approach. a few villages here and a town here. a strategic bridge in a particular location. this is the way that the war is going to look. with the help of the air strikes, they can make those advances and place pressure o

i want to go live to erbil and anna coren. i want to see how effective they have been in their battle against isis. >> reporter: obviously the u.s. forces here very much protecting the u.s. personnel in the consulate and embassy. that is the mission from president obama. will that all change when we heard the expansion of the mission here in iraq and those 475 u.s. soldiers joining those troops already here. they are assisting and they are advising and they will be training. the kurds and iraqis need more weaponry and better arms and they need the intelligence gathering. this is where the americans play a critical role. they have taken the role of leadership which has been sorely lacking here in iraq. the kurds and iraqis have been operating very separately as far as the military are concerned. and that hasn't been that effective. yes, they have been taking the fight to isis on the ground with that critical u.s. air support. really, they need that leadership and that cooperation and coordination with those u.s. air strikes. th

cnn's anna coren live in iraq. good morning, anna. >> reporter: good morning, john. u.s. secretary of state john kerry is right. isis fighters are not ten foot tall and bulletproof. many are local tribes people, part of the sunni communities in the towns and cities in iraq who have joined isis. i think the thing is they do fight to the death. that is what we are seeing out on the battle field. there are many suicide bombers. they fill up trucks with explosives. drive them into the peshmerga frontlines. they lay land minds. this is what the peshmerga are encountering. john, there is momentum. the peshmerga are managing to reclaim the towns and villages in the critical areas. the plan is to cut off the flow from syria. that is why they are going after places around mosul and places such as azuma where a battle is being fought intensely. we have been trying to get there some time to try and show what is taking place, but there are developments happening around the areas. as i say, the plan is to cut off the artery, the flow from syria with fighters and arms and weapons that

anna coren is 60 miles from mosul. >> reporter: hello, john. you say the battle for mosul is yet to approach, but it is certainly coming up. it is going to be epic. the reason being is that they need to kick isis out of the city which is of 2 million people. iraq's second largest. it is also, you know, a strategic importance to isis. it is where the leader, al baghdadi gave his address to his followers of the caliphate, but also to the world. to kick isis out of that city would just be extremely important. it would really cripple the organization. it would mean the forces on the ground near in northern iraq could then cut off the artery, if you like, from syria. that would be extremely effective. stopping the flow of fighters of arms moving freely between syria and iraq. it would just really hurt the terrorist organization here in iraq. you mention the peshmerga. they are not ready to take on that battle. we also have to remember that mosul falls outside of the borders of kurdistan. we spent days embedded with them over the last couple of weeks

and anna coren in northern iraq. thank you very much. >>> a short break now. but coming up next here on cnn, we'll have reaction to president obama's plan to take down isis live from abu dhabi and paris. stay with us for that. >>> it is decision time in pretoria. a judge preparing to deliver her verdict in the murder trial of oscar pistorius, accused of murdering his girlfriend last year. what will she say? stay with us to find out. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ great rates for great rides. geico motorcycle, see how much you could save. >>> u.s. president barack obama's plan for battling isis came after some intense pressure from critics who said he was not doing enough to stop the growing threat. >> and unveiling his strategy wednesday night, he told america, really the world that his administration is helping the u.s. make a difference. >> it is america that has rallied the world against russian aggression and in support of the ukrainian people's right to determine their own destiny. it is america that helped remove and destroy syria's chemical weapons so they can't pose a threat

anna coren joins pea from erbil in iraq. and we've been talking about the ground forces that these air strikes are there to support. paint a picture for us if you will of exactly who is on the ground and what the logistics of fighting in that region are. >> reporter: well certainly here in the iraq, the ground forces are here, the peshmerga and iraqi forces, but on the ground in syria, as we know, it's been the militia and the syrian opposition. so this is how the forces, what they comprise of. here in iraq, certainly, the forces have been making incremental advances. i think that's fair to say. we're not talking about re-claiming a whole lot of territory. there have been more than 186 u.s. air strikes today since that air campaign began if this country more than six weeks ago. certainly, there have been calls for an intensification. and this is what we've been hearing from the kurdish regional government. we just got this statement from the foreign relations head who is currently at the united nations general assembly in ne

. >> let's bring in anna coren. most recently stopping the mosul dam attacks. how important are the extra u.s. personnel in the fight? >> reporter: christine, welcome news to the kurdish officials i have spoken to in erbil. president obama outlined his strategy to degrade and destroy isis. those u.s. troops, 475 that will be joining the already 1,100 making a total of 1,600 u.s. forces. they are going to be taking on the role of advising and assisting and training. this is critical. that leadership has been lacking here in iraq. the kurds and iraqis have been very much operating separately. the two militaries. to see them come under the leadership and umbrella of the united states will make a big difference in the way that they attack isis and the effectiveness of the fights. obviously the u.s. air strikes critical. they have been changing the situation on the ground and not necessarily defeating isis, but containing them and stopping the rapid advance over the last few months where isis controls one-third of the country. the intensification of the air strikes

cnn's anna coren is live in northern iraq. anna, the crisis has been escalating. we saw the explosions behind you just yesterday. you're really witnessing first hand the next phase in the coordinated battle against isis. yeah, that's right, john, certainly an escalation, as you say in those u.s. air strikes and in the fighting against isis. we've got some good news coming from the peshmerga and kurdish forces. they say that they killed an isis commander yesterday. his name is abdul adoula. he's 39 years old. that boosts the morale of the peshmerga who are the boots on the ground. many other isis also killed in yesterday's attack which focuses on five ville ages under a strategic bridge which by the end of the day was under kurdish control. this bridge was destroyed yesterday by isis. now that it's back under the peshmerga control, it will connect the city of erbil here, the capital kurdistan to mosul. mosul, of course, being iraq's second largest city and an isis stronghold. it has been under isis control since june. as we know, john that will eventually become th

our anna coren live in erbil with the very latest, anna.ell us, what is the situation on the ground. >> reporter: well, christine, as far as the situation on ground, there's still intense fighting going none much of the country. obviously over the past several days, we've seen intense u.s. air strikes around hadithah dam, iraq's second largest dam. the fighting there continues. it's still happening at mosul dam. also an hour here from erbil, which is where we were here late last week, fighting continues against isis. you know, they are not retreating. they are still digging in. obviously, those u.s. air strikes making a real difference on the ground. there have been more than 150 u.s. air strikes in the past month according to u.s. central command. and certainly from the people we're speaking to, not just here in erbil, but also in baghdad. they want to see an intensification of those u.s. air strikes. people are wanting president obama to give that commitment. that strong statement, that the united states is here for the long haul. not boo

and our anna coren follow add long with peshmerga forces on an all-night operation.shows us how the mission unfolded in this exclusive report. >> reporter: on a dirt road less than an hour from kurdistan's capital, a long envoy of peshmerga head towards enemy territory. they're gearing up for a mission to eradicate isis across a 30-kilometer front. these soldiers have been up all night. we've been hearing the jets overhead. they've been circling for the last few hours, getting ready to strike those isis positions. at dawn, the offensive begins. a barrage of heavy weapons raining down on isis from multiple positions. and these heavy plumes of smoke, the result of u.s. air strikes. the islamic extremists seized control of this area back in june after its lightning advance across northern iraq. on the other side of the mountain are the planes that run directly to the heart of mosul, iraq's second largest city, an isis stronghold. these mortar and artillery strikes have been pummeling the five villages at the base of the mountain where u.s. air strikes have also been hit

anna coren reporting live from iraq this morning. thank you. >>> and still to come from the newsroom, record numbers of men, women and children fleeing syria to save themselves from isis. righabreva can heal itcold sore, in as few as two and a half days when used at the first sign. without it, the virus spreads from cell to cell. abreva penetrates deep, and starts to work immediately to block the virus and protect healthy cells. you could heal your cold sore fast, as fast as two and a half days when used at the first sign. learn more at abreva.com mara: don't tough it out, knock it out fast. with abreva. ♪ ♪ abe! get in! punch it! let quicken loans help you save your money. with a mortgage that's engineered to amaze! thanks, g. >>> welcome back. i'm wolf blitzer at the united nations, and we are following the breaking news. chaos outside of syria as we report what is going on this morning while the bombs rained down on the isis targets in that war-torn country, there is a d sudden and massive flood of refugees fleeing the country, an

anna coren has more. >> reporter: john, that is right.re in northern iraq close to the town which is 30 kilometers east of mosul. as you can see, the black smoke over my shoulder is a scene of intense fighting with the peshmerga kurdish forces and isis. they have been trying to regain terrorist. the peshmerga regain territory here. five villages where there has been that intense fighting going on. just a short time ago, we heard gunfire. the u.s. fighter jets have been circling since dawn. it is 11:30 a.m. the issue is to regain the territory to get to a bridge nearby. that bridge was blown up by isis a month ago. it is a vital link between erbil in northern iraq and to mosul which is the second largest city and as we know, has been an isis strong hold since june. the plan is to regain that bridge so the next phase of the operation which is the battle for mosul. in the meantime, the air strikes making a huge difference to the play here on the ground. we also saw the remnants of a suicide bomber packed with explosives in an oil tanker head

all right, anna coren in erbil, thank you. best way if there is a best way of battling the threat from isis? earlier i spoke with former british army chief lord richard donnet. if we're talking boots on the ground they shouldn't be western one, he says. >> there has to be military on the ground. you'll absolutely be right but the military on the ground that's acceptable on the ground are peshmerga, free syrian army, iraqi army and may be intervention forces from muslim and arab countries who can be supported if necessary equipped and armed and taped by the west. i think the big iraq and afghanistan over the last ten years is that even though they'll deploy western military forces and do so for the best of the people our presence has quickly turned around and become more of the problem so therefore on the ground we need to see movement soldiers. we can support them with intelligence and support them from the air. >> richard dennet who served in afghanistan and iraq previously. well, in president obama's speech detailing how the

anna coren is live with the details.nna, take us through what you've been witnessing there, not far from the front line. and what the peshmerga fighters that you're with are trying to achieve today. >> reporter: rosemary, we've been here since before dawn. and we heard the jets circling. it wasn't long after that the strikes began and the explosions started. there's been intense fighting here. just to give you an idea of the number of fires that are burning, there are at least eight major fires burning, black plumes of smoke, one of them from a suicide bomber who was in an oil tanker. the peshmerga firing an rfk. those fighter jets have been circling continuously. we can still hear them, hitting those enemy targets. they are refusing to hit the towns and villages, and there are about five villages close to us here. according to the united states, they will not hit these villages, only the convoys or armored vehicles that are traveling on these vast plains. so the plan is, the reason that we are here, the reason peshmerga

anna coren, cnn, erbil, kurdistan, iraq. >>> we'll take a short break. a british couple is arrested after pulling their cancer-stricken son out of the hospital. a lot more on that up next. >>> welcome back to cnn. the parents of a 5-year-old boy with cancer have been detained in spain. they told a spanish judge they refuse to return to britain. >> authorities say they withdrew their son from a british hospital last week without authorization to seek treatment elsewhere. >> reporter: it's a nightmare for any parent. their 5-year-old son suffering from brain cancer. the family and doctors disagreeing about treatment. according to a video the boy's father recorded for youtube. >> they looked at me straight in the face and they said, with his cancer, which is a medulo blastoma, it would have no benefit whatsoever. i went back to my room and looked it up. and the american science and french science and switzerland science said it would be very beneficial for him. >> reporter: proton beam treatment is a type of lower-dose radiation therapy used in cancer treat

our anna coren live in northern iraq and erbil, with the very latest. >> reporter: hey, john, as you say, intense fighting happening in many fronts here in iraq. isis, yes, they are being hammered by those u.s. air strikes as well as ground forces. but obviously, they are not retreating, they are digging in. and they are fighting. we're seeing intense fighting at hadithah dam, mosul dam, and not far from us here in erbil. but certainly from the people that we speak to in kurdistan and what we're hearing out of baghdad as well, is that they are hoping that the president gives a commitment to this war against isis. not boots on the ground. we've heard from president obama that that is not going to happen. he's made that very plain. that he will not have troops here in iraq fighting against isis. but those u.s. air strikes, critical. an intensification of those u.s. air strikes, more than 150 to date. well, people here until kurdistan are hoping that there are going to be many, many more. they're also wanting arms. they're wanting training, and they're als

cnn's anna coren has more. >> reporter: on a dirt road less than an hour from afghanistan's capital,g convoy head toward enemy territory. they're gearing up for a major mission to eradicate isis. it's 4:30 a.m., and these soldiers have been up all night preparing for the attack. we've been hearing the jets overhead. they've been circling for the last few hours, getting ready to strike those isis positions. at dawn, the offensive begins. a barrage of heavy weapons raining down on isis from multiple positions. and these heavy plumes of smoke the result of u.s. air strikes. the islamic extremists seized control of this area back in june. on the other side of the mountain are the plains that run directly to the heart of mosul. iraq's second-largest city and isis stronghold. these mortar and artillery strikes have been pummelling the five villages at the base of the mountain where u.s. air strikes have also been hitting the top of the mountain. they have killed a number of militants. normally based in baghdad, this proud kurd knows his men need him now more than ever. >> this is the duty

>> anna coren live for us in northern iraq. a suicide bomber taken out by peshmerga fighters. anna, thank you very much. we'll connect with her throughout the day here on cnn. now we want to bring you this developing story. nato-led forces say suicide attack in kabul has killed three members of their international force. the taliban have claimed responsibility. the interior ministry says tuesday morning's bombing targeted a convoy of foreign forces along kabul's international airport road. the nearby u.s. embassy sounds its duck and cover alarm as soon as this happened. >>> we've got some of the world's biggest stories still to come for you here on cnn. coming up, for scotland, it's yes or no. plus, another scandal hits professional football in the united states. we'll show you how the national football league is really struggling with the issue of domestic abuse. [ female announcer ] you change your style. why not your eye color? new air optix® colors prescription contact lenses enhance your eye color for a naturally beautiful look with consistent comfort. find your perfect c

right behind anna coren. thank you. >>> one question up in the air this morning is the coalition against isis comes together. which nations are committing to what? on monday, france joined britain over air campaigns. and two countries, iran and syria, were not invited to the conference on isis. cnn's michelle kosinski has more from the white house. >> reporter: john and christine, the white house is talking about the fight, the war now against isis is building international coalition. what will that look like? which country will do what militarily? the administration is holding its cards close. there has still been mixed messages out there on who has made an offer. whom will the u.s. work with and whom will it not? for now, the white house isn't answering questions on specifics. even what other countries are willing to conduct air strikes. they say there is still coordination to decide what will be needed from whom and when. secretary of state kerry traveling through the region and europe has acknowledged tha

anna coren on the front lines, be careful over there, anna. we'll check back with you later. is the u.s. at war right now? will there be boots on the ground, combat forces, all part of the strategy of dealing with isis in syria? would it involve simply training rebels? what's going on? as you know, the president has asked congress to approve legislation providing half a billion dollars to go ahead and train and arm those so-called moderate syrian rebels. critics say the president's plan is lacking on several major details. the house, by the way, set to vote on the funding. that vote could come as early as tomorrow. new york republican congressman peter king is a key member of congress, joining us from capitol hill right now. i assume you're going to vote for that half a billion dollars, is that right, congressman? >> yes, i m a. i'll be photoivoting for it. i'm not entirely supportive of what the president's laid out so far. but it's important as we go forward. i will vote yes. >> why are the iraqi military personnel -- why is the iraqi government in baghdad refusing to prote

correspondents weighing in live starting with anna coren in baghdad, then vicki anderson in abb abu dhabi. and matthew chance checks in from moscow where the u.s. may find some opposition to its isis strategy. but let's begin in washington. that's where president obama has announced that the u.s. will lead a broad coalition to ultimately destroy isis. >> his strategy includes expanded u.s. air strikes in iraq and also in syria. an assistant will flow to iraqi security forces as well as the syrian opposition. the coalition will move to cut off militants funding and to stop the flow of foreign fighters to the region and humanitarian aid will continue for civilians in harm's way, all with no american boots op the ground. >> we will conduct a systematic campaign of air strike against these terrorists. working with the iraqi government, we will expand our efforts beyond protecting our own people and humanitarian missions so we're hitting isil targets as iraqi forces go on offense. moreover, i made it clear we will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country wherever they are. that means i wi

anna coren, thank you so much for your reporting in erbil. >>> u.s.state john kerry is preparing to attend a major international conference in paris on monday. looking at how to deal with this threat from isis. he's already been in egypt to gather support, emphasizing that the ideology of isis, that it has nothing to do with islam. elise labott has more. >> reporter: egypt is the latest stop on secretary kerry's mideast tour to build support for a global coalition to combat isis militants. early in the week, kerry was in iraq trying to boost the new iraqi government. then he was in saudi arabia meeting with leaders of ten arab nations, trying to enlist sunni arab support for the coalition and the new iraqi government. then he travelled to ankara where he met with turkish leaders, trying to see what they could do for the coalition. here in egypt, the heart of the arab world, secretary kerry asked the president to stem the flow of foreign fighters and financing, which is really the lifeblood of this group. the u.s. also sees those foreign fighters trans

anna coren monitoring developments for us live in erbil, northern iraq. good morning, anna. >> hey, john, obviously, the announcement of 350 more troops coming here to iraq is certain welcomed by the iraqis as well as the kurds. yes, they won't have a combat role but certainly they will be advising. and that is what the forces here node. they need that direction moving forward. obviously, those air strikes pressuring isis, we heard the executioner of steven sotloff making direct reference to those air strikes around mosul dam, around amirli. these are places where isis is on the back foot. obviously, those air strikes pressuring isis, they're responding the way they are. we are, though, know they are digging in around certain parts where the air strikes have been. we just got off the phone with military officials who say that the township of zuma where there's fierce fighting going on the bodies of soldiers, civilians, as well as animals are being bobby trapped. this is what the peshmerga are having to deal with. it's a completely different scene out on t

i think anna coren is joining us, inside northern iraq, erbil, right now.is getting closer and closer to where you are. isis has moved from syria into iraq, has made major gains. i think they've -- one report i saw today said they control a territory with their terrorist army the size of the u.s. state of indiana right now. which is a huge swath of land, as you well know. how worried are the folks where you are, the iraqis, the kurds, the others, that isis has got some major momentum going? >> yes, wolf, people here are extremely concerned about the advance that isis has made. and it was a lightning advance. certainly over the past few months. until those u.s. air strikes began. it was interesting in this beheading video of steven sotloff, the executioner who we do believe is the same executioner from the james foley video, mentioned the bombings around mosul dam. we have spent a lot of time up in mosul dam over the last couple of weeks. this is a very important piece of infrastructure that was seized back by the peshmerga, the kurdish forces, early last we

. >> let's go live now to far northern iraq and our anna coren, it's about to get very, very busy wheretell us how news of this growing coalition is being received where you are. >> reporter: look, certainly here in northern iraq, randi, the news is very much welcomed. they are looking for a partnership, a commitment from the united states, and they got that, and some. obviously president obama outlining his strategy to fight isis not just here in iraq but also in syria, really welcome news to those who live up here. because at the end of the day, these are the forces that are taking the fight directly to isis. it's the kurds, as well as the iraqi forces who are going to be the boots on the ground. president obama making it perfectly clear there will be no u.s. combat forces. but in saying that, they are an additional 475 u.s. soldiers who will be flown in. they will be assisting, advising, training, helping with intelligence gathering, that takes the total number of u.s. forces to 1,700 here in iraq. and that role is critical. that leadership role has been lacking in the past few month

anna coren reporting live from erbil in iraq. many thanks to you. >>> coming up next on cnn, while russians continue to insist, there will be no military intervention inside ukraine. why one u.s. lawmakers claims an invasion has already begun. >>> plus, this is no ordinary pool party. more video showing libya militia partying inside an abandoned u.s. embassy. >>> slid myrrh putin says it's time for ukraine to sit down with rebels on a number of issues including political organization and, quote, statehood for rebel-controlled areas. but mr. putin's spokesman insists that does not mean independence for those areas. and that they should remain part of ukraine. cnn international correspondent matthew chance is covering this for us from our moscow bureau. hi, matthew. what are we to make of these comments from president putin? what does he mean when he talks about statehood in this context? >> i'm sorry, we have a very bad connection from the studio. if you were talking about vladimir putin's comments about statehood with rebels in t

we thank you, anna coren, there from iraq for us. >>> at the united nations, america's secretary of state called on the world to actively oppose what he called the evil of isis. john kerry told the security council just about every country including iran has a troel play in battling the militant group and that it is imperative iraq forces on the ground lead the way. >> for this campaign to have any chance of success, iraq itself and its security forces on the front lines must be leading the way. that's one of the reasons why it's imperative that we all go the extra mile to help iraq fully reintegrate into the region and into the global community of nations. >> kerry says more than 50 countries have come forward with commitments as part of the anti-isis coalition. >>> health workers are trying to educate west african communities about the dangers of ebola and fighting not just the disease, often hostility as well. reports from genny say eight members of on " ebola education team can killed. villagers pelted their group with stones when they arrived two days ago. guinea is one of several we

anna coren in erbil. be careful over there.oming up, what we know about the british captive that isis is now threatening to kill next? brian todd standing by with that. in our next hour, we'll get perspective from the u.s. state department and speak with a deputy spokeswoman at the state department, marie harve. the eyes may be the windows to the soul. but in the case of the lexus ls... ...which eyes? eyes that pivot with the road... ...that can see what light misses... ...eyes designed to warn when yours wander... or ones that can automatically bring the ls to a complete stop. all help make the unseen... ...seen. and make the ls perhaps the most visionary vehicle on the road. this is the pursuit of perfection. oh, hi, cortana. you look...nice. [ cortana ] thanks. this is the new htc one m8 for windows. sleek. but, i'm more than just a pretty face. me, too. i can check your calendar, then traffic to help you make your mani-pedi on time. and you sound great too. well, i have two speakers for music. ♪ oh...i only have one. really

. >> cnn's anna coren in erbil, iraq. we greatly appreciate your reporting there in that area. isis is not only brutal but it's well structured. the group's leadership puts out reports that run hundreds of pages long detailing its despicable actions and it utilizes a sophisticated public relations machine that has helped the group to expand. stephanie elam takes a look at this organized group. >> reporter: this is what we are up against. isis, the terrorist group. that's run like a well-oiled business. >> the way isis documents its operations shows that it is different kind of terrorist organization. >> they are not just savvy. they are sophisticated and they learn. >> watching this latest propaganda video is akin to taking in a hollywood action movie. but the action here is all too real and the isis pr machine is constantly making sure the world is aware. the images of attacks and beheadings serving as beacons. >> it raises the profile of the organization and as a result brings more money to the organization and brings more members to the organization and brings more prestige

anna coren, cnn, iraq. >> we will take a short break now.star on the american football field, now a pariah suspended from the league. ray rice is appealing his punishment. we'll have the details when we come back. . honey, you did it! baby laughs! woman: what do you mean, homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods? [ heart rate increases ] man: a few inches of water caused all this? [ heart rate increases ] woman #2: but i don't even live near the water. what you don't know about flood insurance may shock you -- including the fact that a preferred risk policy starts as low as $129 a year. for an agent, call the number that appears on your screen. that corporate trial by fire when every slacker gets his due. and yet, there's someone around the office who hasn't had a performance review in a while. someone whose poor performance is slowing down the entire organization. i'm looking at you phone company dsl. go to comcastbusiness.com/ checkyourspeed. if we can't offer faster speeds or save you money we'll give you $150. comcast business built for

as anna coren reports many believe turning the tide on isis depends on winning over the sunni population. >> reporter: in long convoys they drove in from the west, uninvited but welcomed in some sunni communities. their arrival has turned into what many now see as a foreign occupation with an extremist ideology. most sunnis do not believe. while the battle against the extremists is currently being led by the shia and kurdish military with the support of u.s. air strikes, everyone knows that the goal is to defeat isis and the sunni population must oppose them. this took place back in 2007 when sunni tribal leaders backed by the americans turned on al qaeda with the sons of iraq. but they claim they were later double crossed. >> translator: we kicked out al qaeda in 2007. what was the use? we claimed iraq to have it given to iran. if iran is kicked out, we'll kick isis out. >> reporter: a powerful shaik leader believes iran is behind the militia. he says the only way to rebuild trust is for the new iraq eye government to return more power to his people. >> translator: if they don't give ri

. >> and our anna coren spoke about the battle on the ground and what's needed to defeat the militant group. >> reporter: president bazahny, thank you for joining us. this is the first time you've spoken since president obama has described his strategy. what do you think of the president's plan? >> translator: the threats of isis is not only against the kurdish people in kurdistan. it's a threat for the whole world. it's a threat that it's affecting everyone, so we are supporting president obama's strategy, and we do hope that it's going to have results and also to expand the strategy to include the others. >> reporter: now it's the peshmerga who are the boots on the ground in northern iraq. do you feel that your forces are ready for this fight against isis? >> translator: i think peshmerga's proof that they are capable. it's true that from the first days from the assaults of the isis that peshmerga's had some loss, but after the securing the air strikes, peshmerga managed to control the areas to stop the expansions and the offensive of the isis and also by driving them out of the are

cnn's anna coren joins me from northern irbil.ou've been on the ground for weeks, embedded with the peshmerga as they've operated on the ground. you are in a brilliant position to tell us just how difficult this ground operation has been in iraq, and how difficult it may be going forward in syria. your thoughts? >> reporter: becky, we have been on the ground ever since those u.s. air strikes began six weeks ago. certainly here in iraq. so we have seen the impact of what they are having on the battlefield. 190 u.s. air strikes to date, according to u.s. central command, as well as those few french air strikes we've seen over the weekend. look, becky, as we know, as they are stopping the advance of isis, at least here in iraq, they are not forcing them to retreat. i think this is what is coming as a surprise to many. you think jets and drones dropping bombs that would force the militants to scurry away. that is not happening. they are digging in, adapting on the battlefield. it's piecemeal, and i think that's what has been frustrati

anna coren, cnn, northern iraq. >> aria and so man other viy ot victims can take comfort, the u.s. and five allies have constructed air strikes on key isis targets in syria. we will have more on these air strikes and how they may impact a growing refugee crisis in the region, after this short break. stay with us here on cnn. >> this is cnn "breaking news." >> welcome back to our breaking news coverage. the u.s. and five arab nations have launched the first air offensive against isis militants in sear yeah. the u.s. says 14 strikes were carried out in and around raqqa and three other cities, we have them highlighted for you on this map. the u.s. says all aircrafts safely exited attack zones, including isis fighters, training, compound, headquarters, command and control centers for fighters across the region. 47 tomahawk cruise missiles were fired to pave the way for the air strikes. file footage of that. syria's official news agency reports that the u.s. did tell syria's u.n. representative about the operation in raqqa just the day before the attacks took place. now, interestingly,

joining us now from erbil, iraq, is cnn's anna coren. thanks for joining us. i want to read you some of the comments that the terrorist in in video gives. he says i'm back, obama and i'm back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the islamic state and insistence in continuing your bombings in an merrily, samara and the mos is dam. you obama have yet to gain, et cetera, et cetera. i guess the question i have for you, ana, is this terrorist very specifically is referring to american bombing campaigns in iraq in the country you're in, amarlie, samara and mosul dam. does that suggest to you that these campaigns are working to a degree in killing off and defeating isis? >> jake, i think there's no doubt that isis is under pressure, and this is why we are seeing them react the way that they are. they mention amerlie, they mention mosul dam. this is where the u.s. air strikes have been extremely effective. the focus of that air campaign has been around mosul dam, that critical piece of infrastructure that the kurdish forces, peshmerga managed to claim back

anna coren, cnn, erbil, kurdistan, iraq. >> at the united nations america's secretary of state called on the world to oppose what he called the evil of isis. john kerry told the security council that just about every country including iran has a role to play in battling the militant group and he said it's imperative to insure the world confronts isis everywhere it exists. >> in the face of this sort of evil, we have only one option, to confront it with a holistic global campaign capable of destroying this terrorist threat. to confront it with a holistic global campaign that is committed and capable enough to ensure whether in iraq, syria or elsewhere isil cannot find safe haven. >> and the uk dozens of imams have asked them to release alan henning, the latest hostage they threatened to kill and karl penhaul on the aid worker who went to wore-torn syria for just one reason, to help people. >> always smile when you see what is needed get to where it goes. >> reporter: that was christmas day last year, alan henning taking aid from britain to syria. he was the only non-muslim in the convo

. >> anna coren in northern iraq for us, where the u.s. continues air strikes against isis targets in iraq. not yet in syria, but in iraq. we'll see what happens. much more on this iraq story coming up. also, what's going on in syria. but i want to quickly get to the crisis in ukraine and the message for president obama to ukraine and nato members. >> just as we refuse to accept smaller european nations being dominated by bigger neighbors in the last century, we reject any talk of spheres of influence today. and just as we never accepted the occupation and illegal annexation of the baltic nations, we will not accept russia's illegal annexation of crimea or any part of ukraine. >> the president making those comments in estonia earlier today, just before leaving for the nato summit in wales. he's expected to land there later this hour. phil black is joining us from moscow right now. many of the president's comments squarely aimed directly right at the russian president, vladimir putin. has there been any official reaction in moscow, phil, to

anna coren in the middle of it all. thank you for that and stay safe with your crew in iraq for us live. the recordings of private phone calls between a convicted u.s. terrorist and friends of his overseas. deadly friends of his overseas. ahead, you'll hear how a man believed to be the head of isis's media campaign talked with compatriots about waging jihad against america years before isis even existed and wait till you hear the code words they used. when fixed income experts work with equity experts who work with regional experts that's when expertise happens. mfs. because there is no expertise without collaboration. ♪ eenie. meenie. miney. go. more adventures await in the seven-passenger lexus gx. see your lexus dealer. i'm mom at the playground the kids get trail mix, and you get a delicious milo's kitchen chicken meatball. i wish you liked my cooking that much. milo's kitchen. made in the usa with chicken or beef as the number one ingredient. the best treats come from the kitchen. >>> a couple of key words to pay a

let's bring in anna coren, live in irbil.s this new plan get the peshmerga fighters what they need? what's the response there to what the u.s. president had to say a short time ago? >> reporter: finally we're getting response from the kurdish senior officials. and they welcome what president obama outlined in his strategy. they were looking for commitment from the united states, and they feel that they have got it. this is going to be a long-term strategy. obviously president obama has outlined that this is not going to be achieved in a matter of weeks or months. this is years in the making, this operation, against isis. as far as the specific details, it wasn't necessarily outlined as to what the peshmerga would get. they need more arms, they need the weapons, they need the training, they need the intelligence gathering. obviously this is what the united states will be providing with those 475 extra troops that will be sent to iraq. that will take the number to well over 1500 u.s. forces on the ground. they're not going to b

anna coren, northern iraq. >> thank you. we want the take you live to the capital toll hill where the senate arms committee is about to get under way. this is all about the war on isis, and chuck hagel and chairman martin dempsey are set to testify. and joining us are jim sciutto and ryan cooper, and national correspondent of the week, and maria cardona and raj salan and contribu contributor to t"the national review," and james spider marks who is a cnn military analyst, and thank you all for being with me this morning. jim sciutto, i want to start with you. what do the senators hope the accomplish today? >> i think that dempsey and hague rl going to get it from both sides in effect, from the grahams and the mccains push in for more aggressive military action to the point that they have been pushing that you need boots on the ground. and then from the other side, you will get questions from senators who are skeptical of what is the end game here? what is the actual urgency and the immediacy of the isis threat to the u.s. hom

let's just consider what anna coren has been reporting on now for six weeks. the air strikes and providing a cover in iraq for boots on the ground locally has to all intents and purposes helped to push isis back at times. but they dlief. th they go back to effectively hq in raqqa, in syria and they push back out. so the idea these strikes are on raqqa, one assumes the idea being that you can take that out, the command and control and the assets that isis out there in order that they won't keep moving around because it's the boots on the ground at the moment or the lack of them that seems to be the hole somewhat in mr. obama's strategy at the moment. and as i say, the longer this times, the more it will be difficult to keep the arab nations and their people on board with this fight. rosemary? >> and that is the big question, too. which of those five arab nations are willing to offer boots on the ground. but many thanks, becky anderson, reporting there from abu dhabi. thanks for that. >>> the u.s. military didn't just target isis in its strikes. on its own it to

anna coren, thank you. >> let's bring in the senior national security analyst and former cia operative. carl bernstein, rick francona, fofrmer u.s. military attache in syria. did the president make the case tonight, or should i say last night, that isis is an immediate threat to the united states and our interests? >> i think he made the case that h he's a threat to in the long term. immediate? no. i think that's why he needs to go to congress, that's why he needs to go to the united nations. this isbeginning. this is the opening argument, not the end. the united states has to step up to the plate. not just militarily. let me just say one thing, don. young people who are flocking to this butcherist, horrible terror group need to be looked at for what they are. they are young people who are being preyed upon. and we've got to hold out some of these young muslims and tell them, we want them on our side. we want them to be developing new technologies, not new ways to chop heads off people. we've got to give a mission to the young people around the world. if we don't, these butchers will.

cnn's anna coren joins us from northern iraq. kurdish forces are deeply involved. you're in erbil right now. what's the very latest, anna? you were out with those peshmerga fighters earlier in the day. >> reporter: that's right. we spent the day with the peshmerga out on the front line as they took the fight to isis. they were trying to claim back an area that had been seized by isis in the past several months and a strategic bridge which isis blew up a month ago. this bridge, critical because it gives access from erbil which is where we are, the capital of kurdistan, to mosul, iraq's second largest city and isis stronghold. the next phase of this operation will be the battle for mosul. we're not there just yet. but certainly preparations are under way, which is why this fighting was so important. now, apart from the ground forces, the u.s. fighter jets, they circled the entire time we were there. we were there before dawn and right until the afternoon. the presence of the fighters jets was critical, not only providing that cover so the ground forces could move in.

anna coren, cnn, near mosul, iraq. >> thank you for that, anna. >>> coming up in the "newsroom" the crash site of malaysian airlines flight 17 has been off-limits because of the intense fighting in eastern ukraine. a new cease-fire is offering hope, though, for families of the victims on board that flight. >>> we'll also explain how well is the truce holding up between russia and ukraine and frankly what are the long-term prospects for peace? we'll take a look as well. straight after this. when i had my first migraine, i was lucky. that sounds crazy, i know. but my mom got migraines, so she knew this would help. excedrin migraine starts to relieve my pain in 30 minutes. plus, sensitivity to light and sound, even nausea. excedrin migraine works. >>> big news in the world of sport to tell you about. a dramatic upset at the u.s. open tennis tournament right here in new york. number one seed novak djokovic has been defeated. he lost in four sets this afternoon to japan's nishikori, 6-4, 1-6, 7-3. it will be the first ever asian man to reach a grand slam final. congratulations to him and i'm s