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Iraq: army against militants

Armed stand-off between militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and the government forces in Iraq

Photo {{sliderIndex+1}} from 11

Iraqi military servicemen captured by the militants

© ЕРА/WELAYAT SALAHADDEN

Pro-government Shiite gunmen

Volunteers join the government forces to fight the militants

© ЕРА/ALAA AL-SHEMAREE

© ЕРА/ALI MOHAMMED

Iraqi volunteers call to fight the militants

© ЕРА/ALI MOHAMMED

An armed patrol

© EPA/ALI MOHAMMED

Iraqi volunteers being transported to their base in central Iraq

© EPA/ALI ABBAS

Mosul's citizents flee to Erbil

© EPA/ANADOLU AGENCY

Children in a refugee camp near Erbil in northern Iraq

Armed men at a check point in Erbil

A patrol in Baghdad

Militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) have established control over several regions in Iraq, including the Nineveh province and the province’s capital Mosul. Extremists have also announced they plan to advance on Baghdad. Following the announcement, the US sent aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush to the Persian Gulf. On Monday, the White House released a statement saying US President Barack Obama has notified Congress that 275 military servicemen are being deployed to Iraq “to provide support and security for US personnel and the US Embassy in Baghdad”. Images of the confrontation in Iraq in this photo gallery by ITAR-TASS.

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Middle East and North Africa Iraq

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Envoy blasts Berlin’s move to declare Russian TV reporters security threat as politicized

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An-2 plane missing in Kamchatka located, survivors found — regional emergencies ministry

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Ukraine’s General Staff admits tense situation along entire frontline

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Father of conscript who killed 8 in Siberia asks son to cooperate with investigators

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Russia starts humanitarian electricity supplies to Abkhazia — minister

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Ukrainian troops attempt counterattacks on Vasilyevka direction in Zaporozhye Region

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Ahmed аl-Sharaa expressed hope for building strategic relations with Lebanon

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Roman Starovoyt noted that Russia is holding negotiations with many airlines from friendly countries

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The Ratnik is a system of advanced protective and communication equipment, weapons and ammunition

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Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin thus meant that the Oreshnik missile is a generation ahead of all existing weapons, while not being a nuclear weapon itself

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Hungary wants to preserve relations with Russia as part of economic neutrality — Orban

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Oreshnik’s launch is sudden, undetectable by satellites — analyst

The range of the Oreshnik system is up to 5,500 kilometers

Russian troops liberate two communities in Donbass area, Kharkov Region over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts 480 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day

Putin calls Oreshnik missile development ‘an historic event’ for space rocket industry

Russian President also said that he had handed down direct instructions to produce and test-fire the Oreshnik hypersonic missile

Zelensky actually flips the bird to Trump by insulting Putin, Medvedev says

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Air raid alert issued in six Ukrainian regions

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Damage to Portuguese Embassy in Kiev caused by Ukrainian air defense — Russian diplomats

Reporters are ramping up Russophobia, distorting the facts while writing on this matter, the Russian Embassy in Portugal said

Response to Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Rylsk to come shortly — Russia’s UN envoy

Vasily Nebenzya warned as he denounced the attack as yet another unambiguous step by the Kiev regime toward escalation

US Navy cruiser mistakenly downs F/A-18 fighter over Red Sea

According to US Central Command, the incident occurred during airstrikes on Houthi facilities

Press review: Israel and Hamas near a truce while Zelensky drafts a new negotiation plan

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, December 19th

Trump appoints TV producer Burnett as special envoy to UK

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Baltic states threaten mass deportation of Russians, take lead in Russophobia — statement

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Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger take armies to maximum alert — declaration

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TASS has gathered the main information about the incident

Crew, passenger of An-2 plane crashed in Kamchatka satisfactory — medics

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Arkhangelsk nuclear submarine ready to join Russian Navy — Sevmash Shipyard CEO

Project 885M nuclear-powered submarines carry Oniks and Kalibr-PL cruise missiles as their basic strike weapons

Houthis say attacked US aircraft carrier in Red Sea, shot down US fighter jet

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