From our news desk:
U.S. Aims To Retake Islamic State Power Centers In Iraq, Syria
The United States has deployed a special commando force to Iraq and is now setting its sights on wresting control of the Islamic State's (IS) power centers in Iraq and Syria, the U.S. defense secretary said.
After aiding Iraq's victory last month in regaining control of Ramadi, the capital of its western Anbar Province, the U.S. military now has a plan to build on that victory by helping Iraqi and Kurdish Peshmerga forces retake the northern city of Mosul, Iraq's second-largest, Ash Carter said on January 13.
The United States and coalition forces will also assist Syrian rebel forces in an effort to oust IS -- also known as ISIL or ISIS -- from Raqqa, which the militant group has proclaimed as the capital of its so-called caliphate, Carter said in an address to U.S. troops in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Raqqa and Mosul are IS's "military, political, economic, and ideological centers of gravity," he said. "That's why our campaign plan's map has got big arrows pointing at both Mosul and Raqqa. We will begin by collapsing ISIL's control over both of these cities, and then engage in elimination operations throughout other territories ISIL holds in Iraq and Syria."
Carter said he will meet in Paris next week with defense leaders from anti-IS coalition members France, Australia, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, to recruit support for the fight.
"Each of these nations has a significant stake in completing the destruction of this evil organization, and we must include all of the capabilities they can bring to the field," he said.
In the campaign to retake Mosul, Carter described operations that would send Iraqi forces from the south and Peshmerga forces from the north to encircle and cut off IS fighters in Mosul.
But he warned that taking it back will not be quick or easy. The special commando force of about 200 U.S. soldiers will assist in recovering the territory, he said.
It "is preparing to work with the Iraqis to begin going after ISIL's fighters and commanders, killing or capturing them wherever we find them, along with other key targets," he said.
Carter's remarks came a day after President Barack Obama in his final State of the Union address repeated his belief that the United States must work with local forces in Iraq and Syria to have lasting success in the battle against IS.
Obama, taking aim at his Republican critics, cautioned against "Americanizing" the conflicts because that would allow extremists to accuse the West of occupying hallowed Muslim lands in the Middle East.
"Over-the-top claims that this is World War III just play into their hands," the president said, referring to statements by GOP presidential candidates, even as he vowed once again to "hunt down, root out, and destroy" what he called "killers and fanatics."
"President Obama is committed to doing what it takes -- as opportunities arise, as we see what works, and as the enemy adapts -- until ISIL is delivered a lasting defeat," Carter said.
Carter was addressing soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division, 1,800 of whom will deploy to Iraq in coming months, largely to train Iraqi forces and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters.
France To Hold Military Meeting On IS
France is planning to host a meeting in Paris next week of members of the U.S.-led coalition fighting the IS group, France's Defense Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian has said.
Le Drian said that his U.S., British and German counterparts will attend the meeting to discuss strategy and how to "intensify...efforts in Iraq and Syria."
IS was "retreating in Iraq," he said.
From our news desk:
Multiple Bombs, Gunfire Rock Indonesian Capital
A series of bomb explosions have rocked the center of Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, followed by gunfire and reports of further blasts.
Police said seven people, including four suspected attackers, were killed in the January 14 attacks, which hit locations that included a Starbucks cafe.
Reports said at least seven bombs went off, and security forces were exchanging fire with gunmen.
The attackers reportedly included suicide bombers.
President Joko Widodo said the situation was under control and called on people to remain calm.
"The state, nation and people should not be afraid of, and lose to, such terror acts," he said.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has been on edge recently over the danger of Islamist militants and counterterrorism police have launched a crackdown on people with suspected links to the Islamic State group.
That concludes our live-blogging of the crisis surrounding Islamic State for Wednesday, January 13. Check back here tomorrow for more of our continuing coverage.
Turkish Prime Minister Davutoglu says that "secret actors" were behind yesterday's attack in Istanbul and that Turkey is trying to find out who hired the IS group as a "subcontractor."
Turkey has said that the IS group was behind yesterday's attack -- although IS has yet to claim responsibility.
Turkey's Prime Minister Davutoglu has said that four people have been arrested in connection with yesterday's suicide bombing in Istanbul that killed ten people.
Syrian rebel groups including the powerful Islam Army have said that they will not take part in peace talks scheduled for January 25 unless humanitarian articles in the latest U.N resolution are implemented, Reuters reports.
The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution on December 22 that demanded all combatants especially the Syrian government to allow the urgent delivery of food and medical aid to more than 13.5 million people.
AP and Syria Direct both have more on the recapture by Syrian government forces of the rebel stronghold of Salma in Latakia province.
A major factor in the development was Russian air strikes.
AP reports:
Backed by relentless Russian airstrikes, Syrian troops and allied militiamen on Wednesday pushed deeper into a major rebel stronghold in the northwestern province of Latakia, a day after seizing a key rebel-held town in the strategic region overlooking the coast, the government and opposition activists said.
Syria Direct spoke to rebel commanders who said that Salma fell to loyalist forces because of a lack of rebel fighters, intense Russian air strikes and disputes among rebels over the priority of different fronts.
“We requested many times that the other brigades send reinforcements to the Latakia coast front,” said Ali al-Halfawi, Ahrar a-Sham spokesman for the Latakia coast region, but northern rebels “are giving priority to the Aleppo front because of the importance of the Bab al-Hawa border crossing.”
Why is the capture of Salma significant?
"Whoever controls Salma gains control all those surrounding areas which it overlooks," said Zakariya Ahmad, an opposition activist in the nearby Idlib province, told AP.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called for an immediate end to all sieges in Syria "as a matter of urgency and because of overwhelming humanitarian needs."
The most senior ICRC official in Syria, Marianne Gasser, says action needs to be taken now to help more than 400,000 Syrians currently living in besieged areas across the country.
"The scenes we witnessed in Madaya were truly heartbreaking. People are desperate. Food is in extremely short supply. It is the elderly, women and children who are suffering the most, especially from severe malnourishment. The conditions are some of the worst that I have witnessed in my five years in the country. This cannot go on," said Ms Gasser.
Calls for French Jews to leave their skullcaps at home in the wake of a militant attack on a kippa-wearing teacher has sparked an emotional debate that pitted security concerns against a desire to uphold Jewish identity, AFP reports.
Jewish parents in Marseille, where the attack happened on January 11, have urged their sons to wear a baseball cap instead.