Iraq

World News

Iraqi Forces Make Advances In Tikrit, Prime Minister Says

10:03am April 01, 2015

by Alice Fordham

After a month of fighting in the Iraqi city of Tikrit, the Iraqi Prime Minister said Tuesday that Iraqi forces took a step toward pushing out the self-declared Islamic State.

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Tikrit Battle: U.S. And Iran-Backed Militias Are On The Same Side

7:33am March 30, 2015

by Alice Fordham

In the battle to re-capture the Iraqi city from the self-proclaimed Islamic State, two influential players are fighting uncomfortably on the same side: the U.S. and Shiite militias backed by Iran.

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As Iraqi Forces Press Into Tikrit, Hundreds Of ISIS FIghters Remain

10:33am March 29, 2015

Following bombing raids on ISIS targets in Tikrit, Iraqi forces are preparing to retake the strategic city. Correspondent Alice Fordham tells NPR's Rachel Martin about her recent visit to the front.

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After Weeks On The Sidelines, U.S. Begins Air Campaign In Tikrit

8:01pm March 26, 2015

by Jackie Northam

The U.S. has begun airstrikes against self-declared Islamic State militants in Tikrit, Iraq. The effort by Iranian-backed militias to help Iraq recapture the city has stalled.

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Baghdad Dials Back Expectations For A Timeline On Mosul Offensive

8:18am March 25, 2015

by Deborah Amos

Iraq's second-largest city Mosul is under control of the self proclaims Islamic State. An Iraqi police general hoping for help in driving militants out got a recent visit from U.S. advisers.

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U.S. Providing Reconnaissance Flights Over Booby-Trapped Tikrit

2:09pm March 24, 2015

by Jackie Northam

The U.S.-led coalition in Iraq has been conducting surveillance flights over the city since March 21 to help uproot militants with the self-proclaimed Islamic State.

ISIS Issues 'Wanted' List Of 100 U.S. Military Personnel

10:10am March 23, 2015

by Scott Neuman

U.S. defense and intelligence officials tell NPR that the list appears to have been derived from publicly available sources and not a breach of a government server.

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Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the Blair House in Washington, D.C. Ghani will be meeting with President Obama this week.

Ashraf Ghani: U.S. Critical To Afghanistan's Future

8:03am March 23, 2015

by Scott Neuman

In an interview with NPR's Morning Edition, the Afghan president says most of his country wants U.S. troops to remain. He also says he's determined to make sure ISIS doesn't gain a foothold.

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Kurdish peshmerga fighters keep watch during the battle with Islamic State militants on the outskirts of Mosul on Jan. 21.

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Under ISIS, Life In Mosul Takes A Turn For The Bleak

2:37pm March 22, 2015

by Deborah Amos

The militants have held Iraq's second largest city since June. Now, local Sunni residents are weary of ISIS, there are signs of strain within their ranks, and it's almost impossible to flee.

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A cell block at the now-closed Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad, a facility notorious for photos released in 2004 showing U.S. soldiers torturing and humiliating inmates.

Judge Rules U.S. Must Release Photos Of Prisoner Abuse In Iraq, Afghanistan

3:51pm March 21, 2015

by Lauren Hodges

The ACLU has fought for years for the release of photos documenting abuse in prisons like Abu Ghraib. The government argues releasing the photos would pose a threat to American military.