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| Iraq formally asks US to launch air strikes against rebels | Iraq formally asks US to launch air strikes against rebels |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Iraq has formally called on the US to launch air strikes against jihadist militants who have seized several key cities over the past week. | Iraq has formally called on the US to launch air strikes against jihadist militants who have seized several key cities over the past week. |
| "We have a request from the Iraqi government for air power," confirmed top US military commander Gen Martin Dempsey in front of US senators. | "We have a request from the Iraqi government for air power," confirmed top US military commander Gen Martin Dempsey in front of US senators. |
| Earlier the Sunni insurgents launched an attack on Iraq's biggest oil refinery at Baiji north of Baghdad. | Earlier the Sunni insurgents launched an attack on Iraq's biggest oil refinery at Baiji north of Baghdad. |
| Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki earlier urged Iraqis to unite against the militants. | Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki earlier urged Iraqis to unite against the militants. |
| Government forces are battling to push back ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) and its Sunni Muslim allies in Diyala and Salahuddin provinces, after the militants overran the second city, Mosul, last week. | Government forces are battling to push back ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) and its Sunni Muslim allies in Diyala and Salahuddin provinces, after the militants overran the second city, Mosul, last week. |
| US President Barack Obama is due to discuss the Iraq crisis with senior Congress members on Wednesday. | US President Barack Obama is due to discuss the Iraq crisis with senior Congress members on Wednesday. |
| Ahead of the meeting Senate leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, said he did not "support in any way" getting American troops involved in the Iraqi "civil war". | Ahead of the meeting Senate leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, said he did not "support in any way" getting American troops involved in the Iraqi "civil war". |
| But Gen Dempsey told a Senate panel that it was in America's "national interest to counter [ISIS] wherever we find them". | But Gen Dempsey told a Senate panel that it was in America's "national interest to counter [ISIS] wherever we find them". |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| ISIS eyes lucrative Iraqi resources | |
| Paul Adams, World Affairs correspondent | Paul Adams, World Affairs correspondent |
| A detailed look at what ISIS says about itself, in two annual reports, is very revealing. | A detailed look at what ISIS says about itself, in two annual reports, is very revealing. |
| Get past the gruesome audit of violence - the numbers of people they claim to have killed through car bombs, suicide attacks and even "apostates run over" - and a picture emerges of an "increasingly structured organisation", in the words of an analysis by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). | Get past the gruesome audit of violence - the numbers of people they claim to have killed through car bombs, suicide attacks and even "apostates run over" - and a picture emerges of an "increasingly structured organisation", in the words of an analysis by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). |
| The statistics show a major ISIS focus, over the past two years, on Nineveh province, which may help to explain the Iraqi army's headlong flight from Mosul last week. More than 30% of ISIS attacks in both 2012 and 2013 were focussed on Nineveh, with a particular emphasis on threats against members of the Iraqi military and intimidation of local journalists. | The statistics show a major ISIS focus, over the past two years, on Nineveh province, which may help to explain the Iraqi army's headlong flight from Mosul last week. More than 30% of ISIS attacks in both 2012 and 2013 were focussed on Nineveh, with a particular emphasis on threats against members of the Iraqi military and intimidation of local journalists. |
| But the reports suggest ISIS has nationwide ambitions, to take over large parts of the country. In the absence of a considered strategy, warn the authors of the ISW study, ISIS "will become a permanent fixture in the Middle East". | But the reports suggest ISIS has nationwide ambitions, to take over large parts of the country. In the absence of a considered strategy, warn the authors of the ISW study, ISIS "will become a permanent fixture in the Middle East". |
| Militants 'in control' | Militants 'in control' |
| Earlier on Wednesday, the Iraqi military said it had driven off ISIS fighters attacking the Baiji refinery, 210km (130 miles) north of Baghdad. | Earlier on Wednesday, the Iraqi military said it had driven off ISIS fighters attacking the Baiji refinery, 210km (130 miles) north of Baghdad. |
| The attack reportedly started at 04:00 (01:00 GMT) from outside two of the three main entrances to the refinery. | The attack reportedly started at 04:00 (01:00 GMT) from outside two of the three main entrances to the refinery. |
| Army spokesman Qasim Ata said in news conference broadcast live on TV: "The security forces thwarted an attempt by ISIS to attack the Baiji refinery and 40 terrorists were killed." | Army spokesman Qasim Ata said in news conference broadcast live on TV: "The security forces thwarted an attempt by ISIS to attack the Baiji refinery and 40 terrorists were killed." |
| But an unnamed official told the Reuters news agency the rebels were in control of 75% of the refinery. | But an unnamed official told the Reuters news agency the rebels were in control of 75% of the refinery. |
| The nearby town of Baiji was overrun by ISIS-led militants last week. Foreign personnel, including a small number of British nationals, were evacuated from the refinery earlier but local staff reportedly remained in place. | The nearby town of Baiji was overrun by ISIS-led militants last week. Foreign personnel, including a small number of British nationals, were evacuated from the refinery earlier but local staff reportedly remained in place. |
| Hundreds of people have been killed since the start of the militant offensive last week, many of them believed to be captured soldiers publicly shot by ISIS-led firing squads. | Hundreds of people have been killed since the start of the militant offensive last week, many of them believed to be captured soldiers publicly shot by ISIS-led firing squads. |
| During fighting in the city of Baquba this week, 44 prisoners were killed inside a police station in unclear circumstances. | During fighting in the city of Baquba this week, 44 prisoners were killed inside a police station in unclear circumstances. |
| Analysis: Richard Galpin, BBC News, Baghdad | Analysis: Richard Galpin, BBC News, Baghdad |
| The refinery which is now shut down is critical for Iraq's supplies of petrol and other petroleum products. It supplies a quarter of the country's refining capacity. The power plant is equally important, as the country still suffers from acute shortages of electricity. | The refinery which is now shut down is critical for Iraq's supplies of petrol and other petroleum products. It supplies a quarter of the country's refining capacity. The power plant is equally important, as the country still suffers from acute shortages of electricity. |
| It was always likely the militants would target Baiji. The area is dominated by Sunni Muslims and was a hotbed of insurgent activity during the US occupation, making it fertile ground for ISIS. | It was always likely the militants would target Baiji. The area is dominated by Sunni Muslims and was a hotbed of insurgent activity during the US occupation, making it fertile ground for ISIS. |
| And ISIS has a track-record of seizing lucrative assets such as refineries. | And ISIS has a track-record of seizing lucrative assets such as refineries. |
| 'Mercenaries and terrorists' | 'Mercenaries and terrorists' |
| Prime Minister Maliki described the ISIS onslaught as a setback, but added: "Not every setback is a defeat." | Prime Minister Maliki described the ISIS onslaught as a setback, but added: "Not every setback is a defeat." |
| "This setback has allowed Iraq to recover its national unity and Iraqis have managed to recover their feeling that they are in danger and that not a single Iraqi will benefit from this crisis," he said on Wednesday. | "This setback has allowed Iraq to recover its national unity and Iraqis have managed to recover their feeling that they are in danger and that not a single Iraqi will benefit from this crisis," he said on Wednesday. |
| Mr Maliki has long been accused of favouring the country's Shia Muslim majority and fomenting unrest among the Sunni minority. | Mr Maliki has long been accused of favouring the country's Shia Muslim majority and fomenting unrest among the Sunni minority. |
| Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said Tehran will not "spare any effort" to defend Shia holy shrines in Iraq against "mercenaries, murderers and terrorists". | Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said Tehran will not "spare any effort" to defend Shia holy shrines in Iraq against "mercenaries, murderers and terrorists". |
| He was speaking amid reports that the head of the elite Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Qasem Soleimani, was in Baghdad to help co-ordinate the fight against the militants. | He was speaking amid reports that the head of the elite Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Qasem Soleimani, was in Baghdad to help co-ordinate the fight against the militants. |
| Some 500,000 people have been internally displaced since the capture of Mosul, according to UN estimates. | Some 500,000 people have been internally displaced since the capture of Mosul, according to UN estimates. |
| ISIS in Iraq | ISIS in Iraq |
| ISIS grew out of an al-Qaeda-linked organisation in Iraq | ISIS grew out of an al-Qaeda-linked organisation in Iraq |
| Iraq 'massacre' photos: What we know | Iraq 'massacre' photos: What we know |