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| Iraq crisis: Mosul dam recaptured from militants - Obama | Iraq crisis: Mosul dam recaptured from militants - Obama |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Iraqi troops have retaken Mosul dam from Islamic State (IS) militants, US President Barack Obama has said. | Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Iraqi troops have retaken Mosul dam from Islamic State (IS) militants, US President Barack Obama has said. |
| Mr Obama said the US helped in the operation. Air strikes targeted IS around the dam, Iraq's largest. | Mr Obama said the US helped in the operation. Air strikes targeted IS around the dam, Iraq's largest. |
| He said the move was a "major step forward", and the US had begun a long-term strategy to defeat the militants. | He said the move was a "major step forward", and the US had begun a long-term strategy to defeat the militants. |
| The statement followed Iraqi claims that the dam had been "fully cleansed", but IS said it was still in control. | The statement followed Iraqi claims that the dam had been "fully cleansed", but IS said it was still in control. |
| Separately, Pope Francis said action to stop IS attacking religious minorities should be agreed by the UN. | Separately, Pope Francis said action to stop IS attacking religious minorities should be agreed by the UN. |
| He said intervention should not be carried out by "one nation alone". | He said intervention should not be carried out by "one nation alone". |
| BBC Rome correspondent Alan Johnston says that up until now the Pope has taken a resolutely pacifist view, but on this occasion he seemed a little less emphatic in his opposition to a more muscular approach. | BBC Rome correspondent Alan Johnston says that up until now the Pope has taken a resolutely pacifist view, but on this occasion he seemed a little less emphatic in his opposition to a more muscular approach. |
| Christians have been among religious groups persecuted by IS since the militants captured a swathe of north-western Iraq. | Christians have been among religious groups persecuted by IS since the militants captured a swathe of north-western Iraq. |
| The Pope said he was considering a visit to the region to show solidarity with its Christians. | The Pope said he was considering a visit to the region to show solidarity with its Christians. |
| At the scene: Paul Wood, BBC News, near the Mosul Dam | At the scene: Paul Wood, BBC News, near the Mosul Dam |
| We drove towards the dam, following a path cleared by the Kurdish forces. Until a few days ago, the road, and the villages either side were in the hands of Islamic State. There were several burnt-out vehicles and blackened buildings, evidence of the fighting, and that the jihadists did not leave easily. | We drove towards the dam, following a path cleared by the Kurdish forces. Until a few days ago, the road, and the villages either side were in the hands of Islamic State. There were several burnt-out vehicles and blackened buildings, evidence of the fighting, and that the jihadists did not leave easily. |
| We reached a Kurdish forward artillery position. The jihadists were just two miles (3km) away from the battery, the soldiers said. They fired a Grad rocket launcher to push them back still further. | We reached a Kurdish forward artillery position. The jihadists were just two miles (3km) away from the battery, the soldiers said. They fired a Grad rocket launcher to push them back still further. |
| A plume of smoke of the horizon was a village burning, set alight by the jihadists as they retreated, a Kurdish special forces officer told me. He was confident they had Islamic State was on the run. Shortly after he told us this, a mortar shell came in, landing about 50m (160ft) away in the soft earth. | A plume of smoke of the horizon was a village burning, set alight by the jihadists as they retreated, a Kurdish special forces officer told me. He was confident they had Islamic State was on the run. Shortly after he told us this, a mortar shell came in, landing about 50m (160ft) away in the soft earth. |
| "Don't worry, they're running out of ammunition," said the officer. Five minutes later, another round landed. We decided to leave. | "Don't worry, they're running out of ammunition," said the officer. Five minutes later, another round landed. We decided to leave. |
| Still, the Kurds are making progress - assisted by American air power overhead. The fight for the city of Mosul itself will, of course, be much, much harder. And the Mosul dam is just one of many battlefronts against Islamic State throughout Iraq. | Still, the Kurds are making progress - assisted by American air power overhead. The fight for the city of Mosul itself will, of course, be much, much harder. And the Mosul dam is just one of many battlefronts against Islamic State throughout Iraq. |
| 'Long-term strategy' | 'Long-term strategy' |
| Speaking to journalists on his return from holiday, Mr Obama praised the joint operation to recapture the dam, saying that if it had been breached it could have had catastrophic consequences. | Speaking to journalists on his return from holiday, Mr Obama praised the joint operation to recapture the dam, saying that if it had been breached it could have had catastrophic consequences. |
| The mission had also demonstrated that Iraqi and Kurdish forces were capable of working together, and they had "performed with courage and determination". | The mission had also demonstrated that Iraqi and Kurdish forces were capable of working together, and they had "performed with courage and determination". |
| He said that the US had provided urgent assistance to the Iraqi forces, and air strikes had stopped the militant advance. | He said that the US had provided urgent assistance to the Iraqi forces, and air strikes had stopped the militant advance. |
| "We will continue to pursue a long-term strategy to turn the tide against [the militants] by supporting the new Iraqi government and working with key partners in the region," he said. | "We will continue to pursue a long-term strategy to turn the tide against [the militants] by supporting the new Iraqi government and working with key partners in the region," he said. |
| The dam, captured by IS on 7 August, is located on the River Tigris about 50km (30 miles) upstream from the city of Mosul. | The dam, captured by IS on 7 August, is located on the River Tigris about 50km (30 miles) upstream from the city of Mosul. |
| It controls the water and power supply to a large surrounding area in northern Iraq. | It controls the water and power supply to a large surrounding area in northern Iraq. |
| Earlier, Kurdish officials said the Peshmerga had recaptured most of the area around the dam, but still had more to do to achieve full control. | Earlier, Kurdish officials said the Peshmerga had recaptured most of the area around the dam, but still had more to do to achieve full control. |
| They said IS fighters had put up stiff resistance, and had planted many roadside bombs and other explosive devices, which their special forces were now trying to clear. | They said IS fighters had put up stiff resistance, and had planted many roadside bombs and other explosive devices, which their special forces were now trying to clear. |
| US bombers, fighter jets and unmanned drones carried out a total of 25 air strikes over the weekend, with 15 more on Monday. | US bombers, fighter jets and unmanned drones carried out a total of 25 air strikes over the weekend, with 15 more on Monday. |
| On Monday, the UK said its mission in Iraq would be stepped up to go beyond the provision of humanitarian aid. | On Monday, the UK said its mission in Iraq would be stepped up to go beyond the provision of humanitarian aid. |
| Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said the mission could last for months and now involved the transport of ammunition and weapons from third countries to the Peshmerga. | Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said the mission could last for months and now involved the transport of ammunition and weapons from third countries to the Peshmerga. |
| The BBC's Jim Muir, who is in the northern city of Irbil, says Kurdish forces are planning to advance eastwards from the Mosul dam to the plains of Nineveh and westwards towards Sinjar. | The BBC's Jim Muir, who is in the northern city of Irbil, says Kurdish forces are planning to advance eastwards from the Mosul dam to the plains of Nineveh and westwards towards Sinjar. |
| Thousands of members of the Yazidi religious minority were forced to flee Sinjar when jihadists overran the town two weeks ago, prompting an international aid operation and helping to trigger the US air strikes. | Thousands of members of the Yazidi religious minority were forced to flee Sinjar when jihadists overran the town two weeks ago, prompting an international aid operation and helping to trigger the US air strikes. |