Religion and violence

President Barack Obama is sending 450 additional US troops to help Iraqi forces seize back control of the western city of Ramadi from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) jihadists.  

Iraqi security forces advanced into the militant-held city of Tikrit in a renewed assault on Tuesday, as the country's fractious parliament held a long-delayed vote on a new speaker.
      

The head of Turkey’s top religious body said Turkey should ‘stay out of sectarian conflict’ in the Middle East and preserve its position as a ‘mediator’ between groups

Iraq Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on July 2 offered an amnesty to some backers of a sweeping militant offensive, in an apparent attempt to undercut support for the insurgents.

Syrian fighter jets bombed positions of Islamist insurgents near the border with Iraq.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki backs actions of Damascus against the militants led by Sunni extremist Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) who control significant parts of the country's territory and also have some gains in Syria.

Iraqi forces have made a "tactical" withdrawal from three western towns, a security spokesman said on Sunday, as Sunni militants widened an offensive that has already overrun swathes of territory.
     
"The military units' withdrawal (from Al-Qaim, Rawa and Ana) was for the purpose of redeployment," Lieutenant General Qassem Atta said, referring to it as a "tactical" move.

Iraq's premier vowed June 18 to "face terrorism" and insisted security forces had suffered a "setback" rather than defeat, as militants pressing a major offensive attacked the country's largest oil refinery.

Top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani called June 13 for Iraqis to take up arms against "terrorists" who have overrun swathes of the country in a major offensive.

The Romanian Foreign Affairs Ministry is watching the general developments in Iraq with deep worry and voices concern at the significant deterioration of the security climate, in the northwestern regions mostly, a release to AGERPRES says on Thursday.