Islamic State makes gains in Iraq
- 10 years ago
Militants from the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) have seized control of Iraq’s biggest dam, another oil field and three more towns.
IS (formerly known as Isis) fighters have taken over the town of Sinjar near the border with Syria.
It follows the IS takeover of the town of Zumar and two nearby oilfields on Saturday – the group’s first major defeat of Kurdish forces since sweeping through the region in June.
The United Nations has warned of a “humanitarian tragedy in Sinjar”, and estimates that 200,000 people have been displaced by the latest IS takeovers.
IS, which has declared a caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria, poses the biggest challenge to Iraq’s stability since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.
IS (formerly known as Isis) fighters have taken over the town of Sinjar near the border with Syria.
It follows the IS takeover of the town of Zumar and two nearby oilfields on Saturday – the group’s first major defeat of Kurdish forces since sweeping through the region in June.
The United Nations has warned of a “humanitarian tragedy in Sinjar”, and estimates that 200,000 people have been displaced by the latest IS takeovers.
IS, which has declared a caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria, poses the biggest challenge to Iraq’s stability since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.