an iranian general who is rarely seen on camera is leading the militia man as osama ben javid reports. >> iraqi forces making headway despite suicide attacks and booby trapped buildings. >> translator: i think a side has turned in tikrit and with it be libertied soon. >> reporter: many believe they deserve more credit for capturing land from i.s.i.l. instrumental by general sulemani sulemani influence goes beyond the battlefield. many believe he is used as a propaganda tool on social media. forces battling i.s.i.l. >> translator: the shia need experts, they need mujahideen? in the future you will be able to help more the suppressed people of yours the iraqi people. >> reporter: the u.s. led coalition is relying on iraqi boots on the ground to take back areas but without the support of shia militias, iraqi troops have struggled against i.s.i.l. iraq's sunni neighbors allege these arms are an extension of i.s.i.l. militia. >> translator: iraq must build a status for cousin sulemani for what he has done for us. the iranians are helping us in exchange, for nothing. >> iraq's government ha

. >>> a hotel siege is now over osama ben javid has more. >> reporter: some people jumped out of the windows. a survivor said gunmen killed everyone they could find. it started with a bombing then the gunmen entered the hotel. >> translator: i saw injured people being taken to mogadishu hospital. >> the attack came just a day after somali government said two men were involved in planning attacks and assassinations. the group has retreated to spall areas of influence and frequently launches attacks on government and foreign targets. until somalia's western-backed government assisted by troops can assert its own control it can thought stop attacks like these. osama ben javi, al jazeera. >>> the incumbent in nigeria gmc is facing a former president as his opponent. oil rich niger delta region. his presidency has been mired by boko haram insurgency in the north. the armed group has staged multiple attacks again mostly in the north. his miernlg opponent is major opponent is muhammedu hukari. a muslim from the falani ethnic group and comes from the ketsina state in northern nigeria nigeria

osama ben javid has more. >> witnesses say some people jumped out of windows. survivors said gunmen killed everyone they could find. it all started with a bombing armed men then entered the hotel and the firefight began. >> translator: a suicide car bomber went off at the rear entrance of the hotel and then gunmen attacked and that caused more injuries. i saw injured people taking to the mogadishu hospital. >> security officials suspect the attackers are still hiding. just a day after the government announced the capture of al shabaab gunmen involved in attacks and assassinations. officially al shabaab was pushed out of mogadishu in 2011. until somalia's western backed government assisted by african troops can assert its own control it may not be able to stop attacks like these. osama ben javi al jazeera. >>> an italian court has over overturned amanda knox's conviction. former boyfriend was also acquitted. 21-year-old kercher was found dead in an apartment she shared with knox in 2007. >>> german prosecutors have found doctor notes excusing andreas lubitz from

osama ben javid al jazeera. >> the brain behind the organization, the timing behind the attack is very significant. there have been reports that some members of nusra are contemplating disassociating themselves with al qaeda. it is the syrian branch of al qaeda. funding, legitimacy really, because nusra is on the list of u.s. terrorist organizations and sanctioned by the united nations. this could be part of an internal power struggle. this was a major hit security breach there could have been some sort of intelligence information given for this strike to credit happened. we have to remember, this is one of the most powerful players on the ground in syria. it has been fighting the government on the front lines the main arrival, other than islamic state of iraq and the levant. as of late, really, it has been eliminating really moderate syrian opposition groups, they declared an all out war against the movement, this is a major player on the ground. we do not know how the latest strike really is going to affect the organization but clearly it is a powerful hit. >> meanwhile a barrel bomb

as osama ben javid reports. fighting is more difficult. >> reporter: another barrage hits targets belonging to islamic state of iraq and the levant closing in from the southern and western area of tikrit, the home of hussein. they've been saying they're close to taking control of tikrit for weeks. >> god willing we will end tikrit today we hope the end of daesh in tikrit will be today. >> progress has been slow. >> translator: our advance is slow because of the ied. iedings srveg. ieds. front lines because they don't need help from the u.s. army.and now many are back. reportedly incorporated into ghoft ofgovernment security forces. >> it's not just tikrit we're talking about. we're talking about the future of iraq and the united states and its partners does not want to see it become dominated and controlled by the shies. shias. >> reportedly in a sunni area taken over by shia fighters. linked to the iranian backed coalition. the fighter says he's with the abu nima brigade. al jazeera cannot verify these images.

trying to end the fighting osama ben javid has this report. >> an attack on the oil facility has left it inoperable. fighters slirchgd to the i.s.i.l. seel. fighters l linked tofighters linked to islamic state of iraq and the levant. at least 14 people were killed at the mobruk oirl field. in a country plagued bymobruk oil field. in a country plagued by war legs than 300,000 barrels a day. there libya's national oil corporation says it won't be fulfilling its oil contracts. may be closing if the situation doesn't improve soon. libya's two governments are still in a power struggle. at this airport when it was targeted by an air strike. >> we are here at the airport as we were going for a nationality dialogue meeting air strikes plumes of smoke. this is yet another attempt to prevent us from going to the meetings and to sabotage the efforts of the libyan governments. >> the airport was hit by forces loyal to the internationally recognized tobruk government. talks are resuming in morocco but expectations are low. >> we have asked for dialogue since the beginning. dialogue based on fixed

as osama ben javid reports bombs and booby traps are making their fight even more difficult. >> reportervernment forces and militias are closing in from the southern and western side of tikrit, the home of saddam hussein. they have been saying they're close to taking control of tikrit for weeks. >> god willing we will enter tikrit today. we hope the end of doosh in tikrit will bedaesh intikrit will be today. our advance is slow because of the ieds. >> last week the u.s. air force joined the operation, with the precondition that shia militia withdraw from tikrit. but two groups said they left the front lines because they don't need help from the u.s. army. and now many are back reportedly incorporated into government security forces. taking credit for when they push i.s.i.l. out of tirveght is important for both iraq's army and the shia militias. >> the united states and its partners does not want to see it become dominated around controlled 50 shias. >> the distrust isn't just between the u.s. and militias. there have bef accusations shia militias are carrying out human rights butions. t