Iraq–United States relations

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry held talks in Ankara on Sept. 12 to shape the strategy in the fight against jihadists in Iraq and Syria, as Turkey reiterated its readiness for 'merely humanitarian assistance' in the region, instead of getting involved in combat operations

Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has been to the first to congratulate Iraq’s new Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi whose government was approved at Parliament late Sept. 8.

Davutoğlu held a telephone conversation with Abadi shortly after his Cabinet won a vote of confidence, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Sept. 9, citing sources from the Prime Ministry office.

US warplanes have pushed back Islamic State fighters threatening Iraq key Haditha dam, witnesses have said.

Reuters quoted Sheik Ahmed Abu Risha, leader of a pro-Iraqi government paramilitary force in western Iraq, as saying Sunday's air strikes were very accurate and there was no collateral damage.

U.S. President Barack Obama has announced he will unveil a strategy to defeat Islamic State as the U.S. expanded its air campaign against the jihadists, and Arab states vowed to take all "necessary measures" to confront the threat.

The US are putting together a coalition to counter Islamic State militants in Iraq but no ground troops will be committed, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday.

The United States plans to fight Islamic State of Syrian and the Levant (ISIL) until it is no longer a force in the Middle East and will seek justice for the killing of American journalist Steven Sotloff, President Barack Obama said on Sept. 3.
 

President Barack Obama has ordered an increase of about 350 troops in Baghdad to protect the U.S. Embassy in the Iraqi capital and is sending top officials to the Middle East to "build a stronger regional partnership" against Islamic State in Syria and the Levant (ISIL) militants, the White House said on Sept. 2.

A source in Albania's Ministry of Defence, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told BIRN that weapons transfer had begun following a government decision earlier this month.

At least one C-17 US Air Force transport plane, commonly used for the transfer of weapons and ammunition, was seen leaving Tirana’s Mother Teresa Airport on Sunday.

Iraqi warplanes have begun targeting jihadists besieging the Shiite Turkmen town of Amerli amid growing fears for the safety of thousands of residents short of food and water and facing a "massacre".
      

Jihadist militant group Islamic State (IS) has posted a video online Tuesday purporting to show the beheading of US journalist James Foley.

IS said the execution was carried out in retaliation for US air strikes against its fighters in Iraq.