Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
IRAQI FORCES HAVE broken through to the jihadist-besieged Shiite town of Amerli, where thousands of people have been trapped for more than two months with dwindling food and water supplies.
It is the biggest offensive success for the Iraqi government since militants led by the Sunni Islamic State (IS) jihadist group overran large areas of five provinces in June, sweeping security forces aside.
The breakthrough came as America carried out limited strikes in the area, the first time it has expanded its more than three-week air campaign against militants outside of Iraq’s north.
Aircraft from several countries also dropped humanitarian aid to Amerli.
The mainly Shiite Turkmen residents of the town in Salaheddin province were running desperately short of food and water, and endangered both because of their Shiite faith, which jihadists consider heresy, and their resistance to the militants, which has drawn harsh retribution elsewhere.
‘Massacre’
UN Iraq envoy Nickolay Mladenov had warned that they faced a “massacre” by the besieging militants.
“Our forces entered Amerli and broke the siege,” Iraqi security spokesman Lieutenant General Qassem Atta told AFP, an account confirmed by a local official and a fighter from the town.
“It is a very important success,” Atta later said on state television.
Colonel Mustafa al-Bayati said this evening that the town of Amerli is “completely secure”, but that clashes were still ongoing in villages to its west.
The operation to free Amerli was launched yesterday after days of preparations in which Iraqi security forces, Shiite militiamen and Kurdish fighters deployed for the assault and Iraqi aircraft carried out strikes against militants.
A Shiite militia commander, meanwhile, said Kurdish fighters and militiamen had surrounded militant-held Sulaiman Bek and Yankaja, north of Amerli.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
I am somewhat surprised at Australia’s decision. In case they have forgotten their heritage here is a reminder.
Their forefathers lived on their land for thousands of years until one day people from foreign lands who called themselves “Planters” came and took the lands of the natives and told them that they were taking over because a foreign power told then that they could. They told the natives “To Hell or to Connaught!” (or Gaza or the West Bank). The Planters said that they would be the sole rulers of Law and democracy except that there was one law for the Planters and one for the natives. They told the natives that their language (Gaelic) that had been spoken in the land for thousands of years was no longer an official language but was now a “special” language. The “official” language was now “English” which was the language of the Planters. The Planters thought that they had everything sewn up tight because they always had the support of a very powerful foreign ally.
The Planters forgot one thing. The natives were not going to go without a fight and even if it took hundreds of years they would never give in or give up their lands. Perhaps Australians, Israelis and Americans should read up on the past to get a better understanding of the present and maybe deal better with the future.
Brian, the one lesson if history is that we learn nothing from history
Then the natives became deputy leaders etc in devolved institutions and readily accepted millions in payments and expenses – the war is over once the money flows. The other natives syphoned off billions in aid to personal accounts- in this dreamy half light of fantastic riches they remembered that struggling is for the little people and issued interviews from 7 star hotels.
Brian I’m sure you’ll scan our wide world and demand that anyone who cannot vouch that their family has lived on the land for millenia must immediately vacate that country and return to their place of origin. Then everything will be okay and you can collect your Nobel prize on your way home. Genius Brian – if only we had more like you.
Charles – excellent riposte to that simplistic garbage history lesson.
Charles, I said nothing about people having to leave the land and go back to where they came from. If you actually read what I wrote I am addressing the fact of people stealing other peoples land and driving them off it. If someone wants to settle down then let them come in and buy the land from the people who are there as opposed to using violence to steal it as well as oppresing their neighbours. But then again knowing where your sympathys lie I doubt you want the sorrid past of the plantations to be brought up again.
Jurgen, that was an Irish history lesson, I wonder has Germany ever done that in the past or even surpassed it?
I think the world would have more respect for america as a superpower if they treated israel equal to the rest of the world and tried them for the countless war crimes they committed against the Palestinians. They have done alot more to the Palestinians than the Russians did to the Ukraine n’s and no sanctions. Disgrace.
The UN is all about setting up a fascist one world Government that feathers the nest of Zio Western Interests and nothing else. They took a back seat when children were blasted to pieces in GAZA last summer. They don’t give a damn about the US supporting “moderate” head hackers in Syria.
Add up the date that the United Nations was signed 26th June 1945 and you will get 33.
Charlse Rex_ Coming from someone that supports Israel and its war crimes on GAZA I would kind of expext that from you.
Frank buddy, if you can’t lick ‘em, join ‘em! They might even find a place for you, a superb propagandist. Or maybe they would just reject crazies.
Meanwhile In other news:
Egypt is to double the Gaza buffer zone width next week at the expense of demolishing 800 Palestinian homes.
Egyptian authorities will next week double the width of a 500-meter (546-yard) wide buffer zone currently under construction along some 10 kilometers (six miles) of the border, North Sinai provincial Governor Abdel Fattah Harhur said on Tuesday.
We all know that Israel pulls the ropes on Egyptian Government and has them held to ransom.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/12/30/392523/egypt-to-expand-gaza-buffer-zone/
Held to ransom? Have you details of this to hand frank?
There was me thinking it’s because of the upsurge in Islamic terrorism which has killed 33 of their citizens and that these tunnels were being used to facilitate the terrorists.
Charles Rex_ The very mention of number 33 raises suspicion.
The wheels have fallen off the Zi0nist propaganda machine and no one believes in their lies and made up stories any more. The Zi0nist regime has the whole Western World held to ransom. If this was not the case its leaders would have been rounded up and tried for war crimes instead of getting a pat on the back.
The only real terrorists that we should fear are those head hackers that are financed, trained and armed by Israel and the US Government to over throw the Assad regime.
So you still haven’t addressed the reason for the buffer zone and it’s extension. Fair enough
Charles Rex_Israel is determined to starve off Palestinians in GAZA and block basic supplies to rebuild their devastated country. Israel is determined to have GAZA wiped off the face of the earth and turned into a wasteland.
I see the UN is demanding $30 million in fees from Palestinians in GAZA. The UN is nothing more than a mouth piece serving Israel’s interests.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/15117-un-to-deduct-30m-in-expenses-from-gaza-aid
Still haven’t addressed why Egypt are creating a buffer zone – and you brought it up!
I would like to see Palestinian statehood very much so, but what was the point in all of this if the American government was going to use there veto if Palestine got enough votes
It would show up the hypocrisy of the US as the defender of democracy and freedom.
It serves to highlight yet again and again and again that the US cares only about self economic interest and has absolutely no interest in justice, equality , freedom or even democracy for that matter. That’s the sad reality of US foreign policy for over 40years…and domestically they operate a form of democracy with wealth at the top of a very steep pyramid
The United Nations- The Puppy Dog of the USA .
Such disrespect for humanity on the part of Australia too !
Shocking that it’s just a talking shop , under the total control of a few Bully Nations.
Better to do away with The UN altogether. Sure our own Government have shown no respect for themselves in their votes there as well , in recent times !
U.S. Ambassador Samanth Power said that the current resolution was “deeply unbalanced” and instead of giving a voice to both sides, only considered the concerns of one.
Yes Samanth, there is an imbalance. Israel is an America sponsored nuclear power imposing apartheid and ethnic cleansing on the
Palestinians.
You are right Ambassador, it is “deeply unbalanced” . When will the US support equality and justice for all?
Sensible move by Australia in following America’s lead and rejecting this. A directly negotiated peace between Israel and the PA is the way to go.
No one is going to impose a potentially bad deal on Israel. Assurances on how to neutralize the main terrorist groups of Hamas and Islamic Jihad are paramount. Let the Palestinians go the ICC too – Hamas, IJ and others have as much to answer as Israel.
As for the 22 Arab states that wanted this in the first place, they will never dictate to Israel on her security. Unsurprising that a hatred of Israel and a motion like this is about the only thing these 22 Arab states will ever unite and agree on – many of these states would be only too happy to see Israel disappear.
Jurgen: +1, well said.
That’s still no excuse for illegal occupation of land and forced plantations which fly in the face of international law. Israel may feel threatened by the other Arab states, which I can understand, but that doesn’t mean they can use Palestine as their own personal whipping post.
Israel has no intention of reaching a negotiated settlement! The only settlement this israeli govt is interested in is Jewish settlements on Palestinian lands – they will stall and stall and stall all the whole increasing their illegal occupation of Palestinian land. It is truly shocking that the UN could vote against a call for the end of any illegal occupation!!!! Israel needs to be get the message – follow a firm, short and finite timetable for two state solution or one will be imposed by international community
Not well said – disgusting that a people do persecuted could behave as they do and more disgusting that people like you support the nazi-esque tyranny
It’s such shame to see America pretend to fight terrorism and at the same time actively support Israeli terrorism.
Israel is no better than ISIS or the Taliban or Boko Haram in that it steals land every single day and populates it with gun toting smelly illegal settler thugs. Israel murders babies at will and demolishes peoples home illegally – think Gaza a few weeks ago. Who else does this in the region ? You got it — ISIS !!!
The terrorist state of Israel doesn’t want peace – it wants to keep stealing land – shame on you Mr Obama and all of the great hopes we had for you. You will be remembered like Tony Blair – a huge disappointment……
Jason I agree on your point about illegal land occupation. But I believe imposing this ‘solution’ on Israel will only make it hunker down further.
Those Arab states are also only interested in deflecting from their own sorry and pathetic governance issues, they don’t give a damn about the Palestinans.
Ah yes, the inevitable ‘Israel as Nazis’ comparison. No wonder Israel doesn’t listen to that kind of garbage from Europe.
As opposed to imposing so much, on the Palestinian People, yeah? Evictions, Ill Health, their own Death, Illiteracy, the lose, of Family, and Friends, and so on, yeah, Jurgen? Unless you’ve forgotten, ‘ International Law ‘, allows for the objection, and resistance, of an Occupation. It also states that Israel’s Occupation, of , and building of Settlements, on ‘ Palestinian Land ‘ is ” Illegal “. If you want peace, then start treating the Palestinians, as ” Equals “, and not just those that ” accept Israel’s Actions “, but those that don’t. Stop kidnapping Palestinian Children, destroying the Infrastructure, and murdering entire Communities. Israel, and their supporters can no longer use the horrors that ‘ Nazi Germany ‘ committed, to commit the same acts against the Palestinian People. ‘ The Gaza Strip ‘ is just a ” Bigger ‘ Auschwitz ‘ “. #PleaseSirCanIHaveSomeMore
The continued arrogance that the Israeli state shows to those that helped it and befriended it is pathetic.
Israel exists exists because America pays for Israeli terrorism without American support Israel would be gone tomorrow and may would say that they wouldn’t miss them….. especially those living in poverty in Gaza..
Nobody in the region particularly likes Israel for obvious reasons – who wants to live next door to a baby slaughtering, land stealing terrorist bully ????
The ranting never stops, keep it up! If the Gaza Strip is like Auschitwz, where are the gas chambers. And how come the population has increased so much. Lousy job of extermination the Israelis are doing.
Presumably, Jurgen & Charles work out of the same Israeli / Nazi Propaganda Handbook .
When is The UN going to ever show liathroidi and stand up to these shameful Israeli War Criminals ?
It’s amazing that the Americans and the Australians are the ones looking for support to fight the terrorists in ISIS and at the same time the same two support the terrorist state of Israel and its land stealing and baby slaughter – guess who else slaughters babies and steal land in the Middlew East – ISIS.
ISIS and Israel have a lot in common except for American support !
Actually ISIS do have covert US support..
Russia slams UNSC rejection of Palestine state resolution.
“Russia has warned that the United Nations Security Council’s failure to approve a draft resolution demanding the recognition of an independent Palestinian state could plunge the Middle East into insecurity and violence”.
Of course the West want’s violence…. Problem – Reaction – Solution.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/12/31/392574/russia-slams-unsc-palestine-vote/
Russia: long time supporter of regional autonomy and defender of the fledgling state.
More good news :)
Disgusting what the Americans did and fair play to Russia for condemning it !
America can’t try to cripple Russia’s economy because they are allegedly stealing land and write cheques for the vile Israeli’s to continues to steal land and slaughter babies every day. Hello Mr Obama but you either support terrorism or you don’t and Israel are the worst terrorists of all .
Z….ionist ha ha .
have your say