Diyala campaign

Mainly ethnic Turkmen town Telafer in north Iraq falls to ISIL militants: Official

The strategic mainly ethnic Turkmen town of Telafer in north of Iraq has completely fallen to Sunni Arab militants after days of heavy fighting, a local official and witnesses said on June 23.

"The town of Telafer and the airport... are completely under the control of the militants," the official said on condition of anoymity.

ISIL militants attack ethnic Turkmen village of Basheer near Kirkuk, approach to Baghdad

Sunni Muslim militants of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) attacked a northern Iraqi village inhabited by Shiite ethnic Turkmens but were repelled, police said on June 17, highlighting an upsurge of sectarian violence after stunning advances by jihadi fighters.