islamic state fighters recently awe tacked kirkuk. attacked kirkuk. they launched a major offensive. you can see them on horizon. the kurds are better prepared. they have adapted their battlefield techniques because of weapons that they've received from around the world. they're better equipped and able to deal with the islamic state challenge. but we can't assume that the kurds would withstand an islamic state assault. we need to stay focused and continue our security cooperation and expand the kinds of assistance that we've been providing. and the u.s. can take lead, but we should do that in coordination with other countries that are supporting the kurds. when you rook -- look at the potential security partners of the u.s., you have the iraqi army which folded in mosul, you have the shiite militias that committed terrible atrocities in diyala. when tikrit fell, there were a thousand shiite members of the iraqi army who were slaughtered. what's going to happen if tikrit is retaken? you have the so-called moderate syrian opposition who despite the gre

fighters and 14 peshmerga soldiers were cleared in cashes south of kirkuk. >> the u.n. says that it needs $13 million for aid for palestinians in the yarmouk refugee camp. it is controlled by i.s.i.l. following fighting earlier this month. the humanitarian situation is dire. >> lebanon received the shipment as part of a deal worth 3 billion. it's a saudi funded initiative. from beirut. they report on the significance of this delivery. >> the ceremony was simply. at the beirut airport, french and saudi officials were happy, and lebanese officials were relieved. >> lebanon's victory against terrorism is a victory to all nations threatened by terrorism. they waited a year and a half for this. the first shipment of a 3 billion deal with france and to bolster the capabilities of a weakened army. at a critical time i.s.i.l. al nusra front and other groups tried to infiltrate lebanon. i think it is a serious threat. those terrorists are on the borders between syria and lebanon. >> reporter: monday's delivery was light weapons, while the green cases may not have looked imposing

in the latest violence isil fighters killed 24 sunni tribes men in the southwest of kirkuk. in a separate incidents, 15 isil fighters and 14 peshmerga fighters were killed south of kirkuk. >>> the you were says it needs $30 million to aid for palestinians stuck in a syrian refugees camp the camp near damascus is mainly controlled by isil following intense fighting earlier this month. the humanitarian situation there has been described as desperate. yarmouk was set up in 1957 for palestinian refugees. syria's president bashar al-assad is denying allegations his forces used chlorine gas as a chemical weapon. assad made the comments in a rare interview with a french television channel and says isil is an iraqi export and blames the u.s. invasion there for the rise of the group. >> isis was created in iraq in 20006 under the supervision of the americans, i wasn't in eye remark i wasn't controlling iraq, the americans controlled iraq and isis came from iraq to syria because chaos is contagious when you have chaos at your neighborhood you have to expect it in your area. >>> a cair

. >>> meanwhile, isil fighters have killed 24 sunni tribes men southwest of kirkuk and in a separateidents 15 isil fighters and four kurdish peshmerga soldiers were killed in clashes just south of kirkuk. >>> the u.n. says it needs $30 million to assist palestinians stuck in a syrian refugees camp. the yarmouk camp is mainly controlled by isil fighters after intense fighting in the area early this month. the u.n. security council says emergency aid is reletted to relieve the dire humanitarian situation there. >>> syria's president bashar al-assad is denying allegations his forces used chlorine gas as a chemical weapon. assad made the comments in a rare interview with the french tv champion. he also says isil is an iraqi export. and he blames the u.s. invasion there for the rise of the armed group. >> isis was created in iraq in 2006 under the supervision of the americans. i wasn't in iraq, i wasn't controlling iraq the americans controlled iraq and isis came from iraq to syria because chaos is contagious when you have chaos in your neighborhood you have to expect it who in your area.

i think at this point who governs kirkuk, it does not matter.his is not similar to isis getting hold of mosul or getting a hold of a chunk of anbar. the disputed lands between the center of the federal government and kurdistan has to go with a reconstruction and reconciliation phase. that is where you need to decide, because at the end of the day, it makes a difference if kurdistan is going tomorrow -- and tomorrow is here long-term or short-term to be another state then it matters who governs this place. then it becomes, who cares were 10 kilometers of land is, here or there. one of the things that has to have over the reconstruction iraqis have to settle the issue of the future of kurdistan in the immediate future. there has to be a decision, a referendum, whatever it is, to answer that question once and for all, and i believe that the kurds, if they decide to go for that, it is their right, and no one in the 21st century would tell people to stay with a country or not, but that would be the reconstruction and the reconciliation phase. how do

we know it was somehow coordinated through arabic tribal leaders southeast of the city of kirkuk.were released appearing in videos to be relieved, yes, but many in tears. seemingly continuing to be shocked. understandable given what it is that they have gone through. these yaz di is were captured in august when the terrorist august swept through their homes in the mountains. one cannot imagine what it is they must have gone through. skies still believed -- syracuse still believed to hold thousands. they have claimed to have enslaved 1,000 women and girls, going so far as to show family float as who to how they -- to show how they can be used as sex slaves. girls who have not come of age as sex slaves, as well. despite those who have released, we heard a heartbreaking clip of a woman crying out for loved ones she to leave behind. cnn, baghdad. >>> it is now a week since al shabaab's brutal wraser it at a university in kenya. the attackers left teachers and children that their classrooms could be next. we have a private school in garissa where educators and students say they're now

. >>> captured two villages near the northern city of kirkuk. azarea and ashton communities have been used to push back i.s.i.l. >>> the united nations envoy to libya said that at least three people were killed in violence including a young girl. libyan envoice are trying to find a solution to the conflict in the country. >>> planning an i.s.i.l.-inspired attack. five teens were arrested on saturday over an alleged attempt to conduct an i.s.i.l. type attack. the anniversary of the galipoli landings during world war i. >> this is simply evil. we stand united stronger and better than this attack. than to attack the things that make us uniquely victorian and uniquely australian. we feel uniquely. >> wave of attacks in the past week. police have fired rubber coated steel bullets against antigovernment protesters in johannesburg. charles stratford has more. >> come to inspect what's left of his shop. he came to south africa six years ago to try to earn money for his family in ethiopia. >> lost it. >> reporter: he says his shop was attacked by people

he was apparently killed somewhere between tikrit and kirkuk. no report on who else was killed in that raid and they're saying at this point that while they think it's him, they think it's al douri they can't be 100% sure until they've done dna tests to identify him as izzat ibrahim al douri. >> a lot of these former saddam loyalists, they've joined forces with isis right? >> well you know, yes, and no. this is -- all kinds of shifting alliances. when isis first marched across northern iraq reports that al douri's group in particular had really at least tacitly, if not actively allowed isis to come through. there are reports of al douri's group fighting alongside isis but in recent months we heard reports of that relationship fraying. that might be because they have completely different objectives. isis wants to establish the islamic caliphate, al douri's group wanted to re-establish the sunni/baathist regime that iraq had under saddam hussein. so completely different goals and aims and quite possibly after isis was able to take over so much ter

the iraqi army has been fighting to retain an oil terminal west of kirkuk. i.s.i.l. controls 30% of the area >>> well the prime minister haider al-abadi has been in the white house to appeal for more assistance in the fight against i.s.i.l. the u.s. president praised iraqi forces for the progress and promised an extra $200 million worth of humanitarian aid. patty culhane has more. >> as haider al-abadi arrived in washington, staff in baghdad made it clear that he was coming for reinforcement for the fight against islamic state of iraq and levant. on the list, surveillance drones, attack helicopters and fighter jets - needing them to take back mosul and anbar. did he get it? when asked, this is how president obama responded. >> i think this is why we are having this meeting. to make sure we are improving our coordination, to make sure iraq is in a position to succeed. . >> his press secretary wept further. >> there is no specific request. >> the u.s. is pledging more humanitarian aid, $200 million, a little less than last year. president obama said all foreign assista

sorld of a world war i style trench warfare area down there and there's a lot of traffic between kirkukkurdish security forces have been pretty good at preventing these attacks. there's only been two suicide bombings since june when mosul fell of last year. which is far lower than anybody anticipated. one thing that the kurds have going for them is a fairly unified population. anybody see something suspicious they're going to call the police or call the internal security guys and it will be checked out. it's a very different situation than you would find in baghdad where it's a city of eight million people. a lot of who don't know each other or are afraid to get involved in any suspicious activity or call the police about something they don't trust. >> we have pictures of a top saddam aide who has reportedly been killed. wondering how significant is his death? and how does it affect ice nis that region. any gauge? >> it's not going to affect the islamic state. he was the leader of a group called the nashbondi order, a group of former saddam officials that were resisting the shia governm

they were handed over to kurdish forces near kirkuk. last summer isil fighters attacked i can't sill di attacked yazidis killing and capturing many of them. >>> in israel a palestinian was shot after stabbing two soldiers. it happened in the city of shiloh. >>> a white officer in north charleston, south carolina, has been charged of murder. erica wood has more. >> reporter: protesters demand an end to the targeting and killing of african-americans by police. >> why should i have to be afraid of the guy that's supposed to protect me. >> they're responding to this amateur video that went viral on the internet. it shows a white police officer shooting 50-year-old walter scott several times in the back as he ran away. he had been pulled over on saturday for having a broken taillight. the officer stated in his report that scott had attacked him stolen his taser and that he was in danger. but the video shot by a witness nearby shows a different story. the officer now has been charged with murder. >> i have watched the video and i was sickened

in kirkuk forces have been fighting to save an oil terminal against an i.s.i.s. assault. iraq's prime minister has been in washington appealing for more help. prime minister haider al-abadi has been promised an extra $2 million in humanitary aid, there's no military support >>> our guest explains why iraq's prime minister held off on asking for additional military support >>> clearly we see prime minister haider al-abadi taking charge and in short order you had the i.s.i.l. attacks. there was a crisis bringing the two countries together in a way we haven't seen in iraq in many years. this is a crisis that affects iraq and the united states. the threat of i.s.i.l. going beyond the borders of iraq. there was a common interest threat, and as a result common reason to talk together and in a way that has worked out well for both countries so far. >> in northern iraq hundreds of girls and women were raped and beaten while held by the group. some described desperate escapes in the night. we have this report from a refugee camp. >> the camp can seem endless. the youngest hind way

west of kirkuk iraqi forces have been fighting to defend the country against an i.s.i.l. assault, the group controlling 40% of the area. iraq's prime minister has been in washington appealing for help in the fight against i.s.i.l. haider al-abadi was promised an extra 2 million in aide. >> in northern iraq hundreds of girls and women say they were raped and beaten while held by the group. some were freed others described attacks in the middle of the night. kim vinnell reports from a refugee camp >>> the hours can seem endless the the youngest hind ways to pass the time. there are children who no longer want to play. their innocence stolen in the most brutal way. 17-year-old charean doesn't want to be identified and we are not using her real name. in august last year i.s.i.l. fighters went to her home town forcing everyone to buses. shunted between schools, fighters came to choose the girls they wanted. her name was called eventually. >> translation: i said to my mother i want to kill myself. i was given the permission to go to the toilet. i wanted to do it then. my mother

the iraqi army has fought to defend the biggest oil terminal against an assault west of kirkuk. the fight against i.s.i.l. took the iraqi prime minister haider al-abadi to the white house to ask for more assistance. the u.s. president promised an extra $200 million in humanitarian aid and prays the iraqi people the progress that it made against the group patty culhane reports. >> as haider al-abadi arrived in washington, staff in baghdad made it clear that he was coming for reinforcement for the fight against islamic state of iraq and levant. on the list surveillance drones attack helicopters and fighter jets - needing them to take back mosul and app bar. when asked, this is how president obama responded. >> i think this is why we are having this meeting. to make sure we are improving our coordination why to name sure iraq is in a position to succeed. >> there is no specific request. >> the u.s. is pledging more humanitarian aid, $200 million, a little less than last year. president obama said all foreign assistance has to go to the government of iraq, sending the message that s

at least three people have been killed and 19 injured in an explosion in iraq's northern city of kirkuk. the happened during the funeral of the fighters from the popular mobilization force. the injured are receiving treatment in hospital. >>> at least 11 people have been killed by a car bomb in sow ma i can't's--somalia's capitol where several were hurt. somali soldiers are among the dead. the blast happened near the city center hotel which was stormed by the group al-shabab two months ago. 20 people were killed in that attack. >>> south africa has announced it is sending troops to durban and johannesburg after a series of attacks against immigrants. malawi's government has gone so far to provide buses for its citizens that need to be repatriated. south africa's government has been criticized for not doing more to protect them. the greek finance minister said he's confident that a deal between athens and finance ministers have been reached just last week. >> there will an deal. there will be complete stability. the convergence is clear. even the institutions acknowledge it. it does not

i mean, kirkuk, disputed territories and others. sometimes people think that should be a historical discussion because the situation after isis because the facts have forced themselves. that might be true and maybe in an academic sense, but in the reality to the history of iraq in which the tribal society, people's pride is important for them or perceived pride is also as important. people's understanding that things were not taken under duress, but it was more in what you might call a constructive way. for us, for the constitution to be implemented, there are a lot of outstanding questions. there are sometimes loopholes in the constitution which people have taken advantage of in that sense. so there is a lot of dialogue to be made. getting rid of isis has been an important factor for all parties. that's a good sign. people are not taking advantage of that now. they no longer are resigned to the fact that isis can be used for the politics of iraq. because everybody is losing out. political class, the majority of the sunni politician

we always suspected he was in kirkuk and the isis state coming out of mosul.o, all of these things are starting to fit together. isis has continually gotten stronger in this sector. >> now, let's move quickly to australia. police there have arrested five people in a counterterrorism operation. one teenager apparently charged. and authorities say the suspects are individuals acts by themselves. not representatives, say a religious, cultural or national group. give me a sense how big a threat, lone wolf attacks are particularly there? >> well, they've been big for decades. and we can go back through the history of all of these things. but when the government claims immediately that they're not associated with any particular group, i think that's probably a little bit of first reporting which always proves to be wrong. all of these individuals are motivated by some type of either an internet. or some type of individual that's pushing them to do things. so, lone wolf attacks goring to continue. they're going to continue not only in australia but all over the world

a report that the kurdish peshmerga are carrying out offensive against the isis south of kirkuk, contested city in the north. largely controlled by the kurdish peshmerga, could be in retaliation for the bombing attack that has shaken the calm in irbil friday. >> yes, got very close to the u.s. consulate. as well, not just coming into irbil. let's talk other news in iraq, ivan, saddam hussein's former number two has apparently been killed. who was he? what's the significance? what power did he have left? >> i think what's striking about the latest reports about ibriham al duri allegedly being killed. announcements made on iraqi state tv by iraqi militia commanders, by the governor of the province. what's really striking about this is the fact that -- al duri is succeeded in operating and surviving in iraq for, for some 12 years since the u.s. in vaegs of iraq. in 2003. despite a $10 million u.s. bounty on his head. despite the fact that he was one of the most wanted former figures of saddam hussein's regime during the u.s. military occupation of iraq he succeeded in surviving and evading ca

thought they were being driven to their extension but instead happened over to kurdish forces near kirkuk. a palestinian man who stabbed two israeli soldiers has been shot dead in the west bank. one of the soldiers was critically hurt while the other was likely wounded while he shot the attacker. it happened near the jewish center of shiloh. >>> after months of negotiations two warring groups of the central african public has signed a peace agreement which could bring an end to the fighting. the deal was signed in kenya, a representative of the mainly christian rebels, but the deal is not recognized by the u.n. or french mediators. >> i wish to remind you as leaders of the people of the african republic, you must never forget that your principle interest is the well-being first and foremost of the people of the central african republic. >>> to talk more about that i'm joined by james snyder. thank you for joining us. give me the outline of this deal. is it an effective deal? what does it do to of interim authorities at the moment. >> i'm afraid the deal is close to meaningless. it is sign

now, kurdish forces are getting involved in the fighting capturing two villages near kirkuk. [ gunfire ] >> the kurds say they are using the villages as a base to push back i.s.i.l. fighters. kurdish forces have been battling to retake territory from the group since last year >>> to yemen where fighting is intensifying and the humanitarian crisis is grow. militias loyal to abd-rabbu mansour hadi is laying siege to an air base considered crucial to a u.s. drone programme. they are trying to take back the airbase. houthi rebels took control after u.s. advisors pulled out. the saudi-led coalition is continuing their campaign to dislodge. group, pounding target. aden is the focus of strikes. the fighting is having a catastrophic effect, already struggling. the united nations says 731 people have been killed since air strikes. 150,000 forced to leave their homes. more on the humanitarian system in a moment. first to saudi arabia where our correspondent joins us. update us about what you hear about developments on the ground. >> as you just mentioned in your intro, fighting is raging in aden

ard a aaccording to a senior official, the peshmerga recaptured two villages south of kirkuk. the peshmerga has emerged as a fighting source against the militants. >>> one mother is blasting the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff for his comments on ramadi. that, of course, infuriated debbie lee, a woman you see here on the left side of your screen. she is the mom of a navy s.e.a.l. who died fighting in ramadi back in 2009. she wrote a letter demanding an apology. this morning she told "fox & friends" just how much his comments hurt. >> our sons daughters our wives, fathers they have sacrificed so much for us and to say that's not symbolic, it's not significant are you stinking kidding me? and i can't think of anything that was more painful and insurance sensitive than those comments that he made and that is just appalling. >> more than 2,000 families have fled ramadi this week ahead of that isis advance. >>> it turns out that running gun fights and burning vehicles wasn't enough to stave a drug carpal kingman from an arrest in mexico. this guy was captured on friday near t

, they feel that the strategic value is heading north to mosul and kerr cook and that is where -- kirkuk and that is where the for example is. >> a retired army brig deer general and secretary of state. i know you have returned from iraq. most of the news is positive downplaying what general determine si says if ramadi falls. it has to be unwelcomed. >> i want say marty was downplaying the situation, he was putting it in perspective. ramadi is iconic because of fights goings on. as he said the more important target is to retake baiji because of oil production. >> we heard the iraqi government talking about an offensive to retake anbar, and ramadi is the capital. and iraq's prime minister mentioned it on a visit to the united states. if i.s.i.l. retakes towns and anbar threatening to take over the capital, is there a disconnect? >> i don't think there's a disconnect of the i think i.s.i.l. is watching and listening to the broadcast coming out. there's the two main fighting areas. the yew frayedies valley and the tigris river valley from tikrit to moss ol. and you frayed yeas goes to anbar

. >> kurdish forces in iraq captured two villages near the northern city of kirkuk. the kurds say they are using the villages as a base to push back isil fighters. kurdish forces have been retaking territory from the goop since last year. >> ice r. islamic state of iraq and the levant released a video of killings, showing two groups of captives held by isil in eastern and southern libya. this video cannot be independently verified and it's al jazeera's policy not to show video of beheadings. >> there's much more ahead on the news hour. we'll report from athens, where the political careers of some parliament members could be facing a dark end. >> we'll look at why four months on from devastating floods, many in malaysia don't have a place to call home. >> the houston rockets take on the dallas mavericks. the latest coming up in sport. >> afghanistan's president says an islamic state of iraq and the levant linked group has claimed responsibility for an attack in east afghanistan saturday that killed 35 and wounded more than 100. if an isil related group is involved it

i think at this point who governs kirkuk it doesn't matter. this is not similar to isis getting hold of most will are getting hold of a chunk of anbar -- that's we need to decide because at the end of the day it makes a difference if kurdistan is going tomorrow tomorrow here is long-term or short-term, to be another state, then it matters who governs its places. and it comes who cares where 10 kilometers fall here or there. i think one of the things that has to be done with the reconstruction the iraqis have to settle the issue of the future of kurdistan in the immediate future. there has to be a decision referendum, whatever it is to end that question once and for all. and italy that the kurds, if they decide to go for it, it is their right, no one in the 21st century would tell people to stay by icann to stay with the country are not. but that would be really construction and the reconciliation face. how do you make a reconciliation talks i'm thinking here of the two issues but one of them good local governments. good government at the local

they operated it somewhere between tikrit and kirkuk. they haven't said who else was killed in this raid, but they've identified al douri, although they say they can't be 100% sure until dna tests have been conducted. we have reports now that his body has been brought to baghdad, and they're saying they should get results within 48 hours. >> do we know what he's been up to these last however many years? do you know? >> he's a very elusive figure and quite a legendary figure because of his ranking in the regime. and he would only pop up occasionally. you might see an audio recording from him or rumors he was in syria or even qatar. very rarely was he seen. that's why he had this sort of mythical almost legendary reputation. >> what about his relationship -- and i know you have some reporting on this colonel. i don't know how much in terms of isis. i know according to you, atika, he obviously was not a fan of the iraqi government. isis that's the enemy of isis the iraqi government. they want to spread this notion of a caliphate. were they

not knowing when to return home >>> further north kurdish forces in iraq captured two villages near kirkuk. [ gunfire ] >>> the kurds say that they are using the villages as a base to push i.s.i.l. fighters back. kurdish forces have been battling to retake territory from the group since last year. >> afghanistan agreed to work with iran to counter threats from i.s.i.l. following the first ever attack in afghanistan by fighters linked to the armed group. 35 were killed on saturday. jennifer glasse reports from the capital kabul. >> these are some of the victims of the bombing, recovering in a jalalabad hospital. they heard accusations that fighters affiliated with i.s.i.l. called by the name d.a.e.s.h. are to blame. people are angry the government can't provide security. >> if it's d.a.e.s.h. or the taliban, we condemn such acts incidents are not acceptable. >> political infighting delayed the imply takes of government reforms. the taliban filled the vacuum in some areas. in ghazni province, the taliban shot and murdered three men. villagers came to the execution and said the taliban group

is not a surprise to us because i think that the isis the last thing they want is progress through kirkukugh mosul. it was expected they take these actions. a real threat because of close proximity toy baghdad but not a capture generating a revenue for isis making it worse than it already is for them to take ground. >> saying it wouldn't be a revenue generator like the oil fields isis captured but how concerned should u.s. officials be if ramadi does in fact fall completely to isis? >> anytime isis takes ground it's a bad thing. we need to be prepared through the coalition forces to provide air support. the iraqi services, the armed service have to go in and have to defend the situation on the ground. we need to go everything we can to hold the spread and focus efforts back on eradicating them from ra maud aroundmadi and into mosul, the home the caliphate. >> you've been critical of president barack obama. you and many on capitol hill saying it create add vacuum for isis to thrive taking this out to be lodge irk the conclusion you think we should send combat troops back to iraq to fight i

. >>> residents of kirkuk are happy to be returning to their homes. kurdish forces launch an offence i have against isis, who had taken over the city. the governor of care kook credits the uk, germany and turkey for helping its displaced residents. >>> let's update you on the situation in the french alps. the black box data recorder from the doomed germanwings plane, shows the co pilot repeat thely accelerated the plane as it descend ised down into the french alps. he sped up the plane. initial reading on the recorder show andreas lubitz used all owe pilot to put the plane in the dissent from 38,000 feet down to 100 feet. investigators say lubitz looked up suicide methods on the internet and how to secure cockpit doors on airplane. he looked that up on the internet too. that information came from a computer they retrieved from his apartment, in germany. >>> in a preeaster ritual pope francis celebrates holy thursday mass at rome's main prison. >> pope calls it the kind of service jesus expects from the faithful. prison selected 12 inmates male and fem

now, it happened in between tikrit and kirkuk. it's interesting.not exactly clear what happened or how he was killed. all we know it was in a surprise operation. clearly for iraqis they say this is an important blow against isis and they are specifically saying they are describing him as a terrorist. they are making that link very clear. >> it's interesting. does he have any -- you're right. obviously as the one who created this particular state, does he have any direct connection to the concept of creation of a -- >> he was a believer in the baathist regime. it was about reclaiming that. what his role has always been murky. he's always been a mythical figure among militias because he's this pedigree with saddam hussein regime. what was rumored was that some sort of an alliance was made with isis and this is what laid the groundwork for isis being able to march through northern iraq and eventually taking over mosul. in recent months there's been more reporting that whatever alliance was there may have started to fray. there are reports of infightin

militia actually went in on what they call a surprise operation in the mountains between tikrit and kirkuk that operation they say he was killed. they can't be 100% sure until dna tests are conducted but they are clearly touting this as a major blow to the terrorist organizations as they put it. that's how they see this man. >> has there been any word -- this is all breaking and developing right now -- but has there been any word that other leaders were with him and were they also killed injured or are we going to see what usually happens which is one guy is taken out and somebody else replaces him? >> we haven't heard if any of his deputies were killed. we have to understand this is a guy who was almost a mythical figure. not only was he the king of clubs to the u.s. forces when they were in iraq but also he had this legendary reputation as being saddam hussein's right-hand man. he was very feared. as he was leading this group, it was never quite clear what his role was. he was more of a spiritual leader rather than operationally on the ground all the time. so it's not clear what will hap

-led airstrikes say they have made progress against isil around the city of kirkuk. isil has released video it says shows the executions of about 30 ethiopian christians in libya. the video shows one group of captives in orange jumpsuits being beheaded on a beach, while another group of captives is shot to death in a different libyan region. iran's foreign minister has published an op-ed in "the new york times" calling for a ceasefire and dialogue to resolve the crisis in yemen. as u.s.-backed saudi airstrikes rock the capital sanaa, which is held by iranian-backed houthi rebels, mohammed javad zarif writes -- "one cannot confront al qaeda and its ideological siblings such as the so-called islamic state, in iraq, while effectively enabling their growth in yemen and syria." on iranian supreme leader sunday, ayatollah khamenei criticized u.s. foreign policy. cook's the myth of iranian nuclear weapons was created by the americans with europeans and others, with the purpose of showing iran as a threat. no, america itself is the threat. the american regime is the greatest

to do the work was used initially up in tikrit and right now engaged in hawiga between tikrit and kirkuk up there, which is a critical piece of infrastructure for the iraqis. you know out in al a anbar, we've watched this for years out there, with the sunnis out there, the sunni triangle we've got the u.s. forces that are out there, in al anbar province doing the training at the air fields out there. one of the biggest issues right now that i see is that arwa reported is and we watched this for last month, what isis was doing, they have cut off, attacking from the east which literally puts a barrier between baghdad and blocks off the rest of the anbar province. so the reinforcements able it to come in from the east from baghdad and other areas, is now cut off which may just -- makes a major concern which is going to have to have the coalition put in some major bombing in there to allow reinforcements to get in there if they can. right now, the iraqis just have so many going in different directions. they have to pick a main effort and go that way. >> here's one of the problems i see, i've

i think at this point who governors kirkuk doesn't matter.imilar to isis getting hold of mosul or getting a hold of chunk of anbar. the disputed lands between the center or the federal government and kurdistan has to go with the reconstruction and reconciliation phase that is where you need to decide. because at the end of the day that is where you need to make a change. because if kurdistan, long-term or short-term, then it matters who will government. then who cares whether 10 kilometers will fall here or there, 10 square kilometers. and one things that has to be done with the reconstruction, the iraqis have to settle the issue of the future of kurdistan in the immediate future. there has to be a decision or a referendum or whatever it is to end that question once and for all and i believe the kurds, if they decide to go for a state, then it is their right and no one in the 21st century would tell people toÑk&@ stay -- to stay with a country or not. but that would be very instructive and the reconciliation phase. how do you make your reconc

you look at mosul into irbil and kirkuk. they call it the green line.shed that security zone in the green line. right now what the iraqi and kurds have done is isolated isis in mosul. isolated them. because what i believe now is the next main effort moves up to anbar, once anbar, ramadi all the way out west are taken, then we turn our attention to irbil. >> can i ask a question have you this map fought inside iraq with isis and iraq is the home the birthplace of isis what about what is going on with isis beheading these christians there in libya, how is what is happening in iraq affect what is going on wellioened the borders? >> what libya becomes is that safe haven for isis other terrorist groups. i see libya right now is what afghanistan looked like pre9-11. it's just lawlessness, whoever the most power player can get in there and brings the money. there is a lot of well trained military age men in libya that are broke and looking for someone to come in and pay them. so it's a mess now. >> a whole set of problemsch appreciate it. following a lot of ne

offense that's going up north of baghdad, up through dialla and into tikrit and eventually up near kirkuk. the offensive north of baghdad has been deliberate, measured, steady progress. al anbar has always been kind of pockets of isf, iraqi security forces, and pockets of isil. so it's been a much more dynamic back and forth. so this latest attack on ramadi is yet another indication that what the government of iraq really needs to do is connect these inkblots, you will, of their legitimate security forces so there isn't this constant back and forth. and that was the topic of our conversation with prime minister abbadi yesterday. it is his intent to focus now on al anbar province. >> is that why they need additional u.s. help? >> it's part of the reason. the -- we didn't talk about specifying any particular kind of support to the al anbar offensive but rather the concept of an al anbar offensive, while maintaining pressure north of baghdad as well. in next question. >> welcome mr. secretary, i should say welcome back. just a brief followup on yemen and then about ukraine. in light of the f