US 'Ready To Take Action Against IS In Syria'

The US has said it will not be restricted by the Iraq-Syria border as it considers further action against Islamic State militants.

White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes the US stood ready to take action to protect American citizens as the group was more dangerous now than it was six months ago.

The US has already carried out airstrikes on the group - formerly known as ISIS or ISIL - in Iraq as it has sought to support government forces and Kurdish Peshmerga in their attempts to push back the jihadists.

However, it has so far steered clear of Syria, except for a brief special forces raid which attempted to rescue journalist James Foley and other American hostages.

Red shows areas controlled by IS, while yellow is areas of fighting

Mr Foley was beheaded by a member of the group - believed to be British - in a video released earlier this week. The black-clad militant said the journalist was killed in retaliation for US airstrikes.

"When you see somebody killed in such a horrific way, that represents a terrorist attack- that represents a terrorist attack against our country and against an American citizen," Mr Rhodes told reporters at the White House

He added that the US had done everything it could to rescue American hostages but would keep trying to get back those still held by the group.

The announcement that the US would consider acting in Syria came after the former head of the British Army said the West should consider negotiating with Syrian president Bashar al Assad to tackle IS.

Lord Dannatt told Sky News: "You have to at least consider the otherwise unpalatable thought that maybe we've got to have some kind of dialogue, whether it's under the counter or over the counter, with President Assad of Syria.

Journalist James Foley was beheaded on video by an IS militant

"The old dictum that my enemy's enemy is my friend just might have some credence in this less than satisfactory and pretty extraordinary set of times that we are in."

However, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond ruled out working with Mr Assad - who is accused of carrying out war crimes, including chemical attacks, during his country's three-year civil war.

He said Britain would help Kurdish and Iraqi forces with weapons and training once there was a credible government in place in Baghdad.

However, efforts to form a new government around Prime Minister-designate Haider al Abadi were dealt a major blow when Sunni politicians pulled out of talks following an attack on a mosque that killed at least 64 people and injured 60 others.

The mass killing at Friday prayers was initially blamed on Shia militia allied with the government but there have also been suggestions that IS fighters, who have been trying to recruit Sunni tribes in the area, could have staged the attack.

Kurdish Peshmerga are leading the fightback against IS in Iraq

Elsewhere, Kurdish forces have launched a major assault to try to retake the northeast Iraqi towns of Jalula and Sadiyah.

Sky's Alex Crawford, reporting from the outskirts of Jalula, said the operation was being carried out by the Kurdish military's elite counter-terrorism unit, backed up by peshmerga forces.

She said the towns, near the Iranian border and semi-autonomous Kurdish region, had been under IS control for more than two months.

"What is significant about this assault is that they (the Kurds) are doing this pretty much entirely on their own," she said.

"They've had very little air support. There is no evidence of any outside weaponry, military hardware to back them up."

Although US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has warned that IS is the most dangerous threat faced by America for years, the FBI on Friday said there were no specific or credible threats that the group was planning an attack on US soil.

An intelligence bulletin, issued to state and local law enforcement, said officials were concerned though that IS supporters could attack overseas targets with little warning.

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US Creeps To Decision On Islamic State Threat

Washington has crept to a decision. It's time to do something about the threat posed by the Islamic State.

There's now no lack of senior officials describing the problem.

"This is an organisation that has an apocalyptic, end-of-days strategic vision and which will eventually have to be defeated," General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said.

"They are beyond just a terrorist group. They marry ideology, a sophistication of ... military prowess. They are tremendously well-funded. This is beyond anything we've seen," said his boss Chuck Hagel, the US Secretary of Defence.

But how do you solve a problem on this scale?

Militarily there may be a short term effect from intensifying American airstrikes.

Car used by IS fighters is destoyed in a US airstrike

Widening the target list of IS forces across Iraq to include vulnerable areas on the edge of the Kurdish region and around Baghdad would at least stem the tide.

It might also buy some time for specialists to re-train the Iraqi army and for the central government to form a more inclusive administration involving Sunnis who for now may be supporting the IS.

But rolling back the IS in Iraq would take a much bigger air campaign.

That would risk killing Sunnis and painting the Baghdad government as lackeys of American imperialism.

And pushing IS back in Iraq would still leave its Syrian heartland as a base from which to continue to launch attacks, as well as terror operations beyond its borders.

Red shows areas controlled by IS, yellow shows areas of fighting

"To your question, can they be defeated without addressing that part of their organisation which resides in Syria? The answer is no. That will have to be addressed on both sides of what is essentially at this point a non-existent border," General Dempsey said.

So airstrikes against IS in Syria may be called for - even if this risks empowering the Damascus regime.

Syria has complex air defence systems. If it did not approve of the attacks on its enemy, IS, then these would need to be destroyed to allow for an effective air campaign against the Islamic state.

A rapidly widening air war could lead to more complexities on the ground.

Amid all the talk of attacking IS, many ordinary people, voters, in the West may favour a 'leave-well-alone' policy.

With the US and UK political elite facing elections next year this view may concentrate their minds on sitting on their hands.

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Russian Aid Convoy Starts Crossing Into Ukraine

Several trucks carrying Russian aid have been allowed to enter eastern Ukraine after being held at a border crossing for a week.

Russia has been is trying to send a 280-lorry relief convoy to help civilians caught up in the fighting between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists.

Ukraine has been reluctant to let the convoy through over fears it is carrying supplies for the rebels, despite Moscow's insistence the goods were simply humanitarian aid.

Ukraine insisted the aid convoy entered under the auspices of the Red Cross

The transit comes as the Ukrainian president said he would tell Russia's Vladimir Putin to rein in pro-Moscow separatists, when the two leaders meet next week.

Petro Poroshenko said he would tell President Putin that Ukraine had "a strong country, a strong army" behind him.

President Poroshenko is due to meet Russia's leader next week

He said: "In order to have solid positions in peace negotiations, we have to be strong, to have the unity of the people, a strong country, a strong army."

"We are capable of defending our sovereignty, our independence and our territorial integrity - we are fighting for the independence of Ukraine. Together we will win for sure."

Mr Poroshenko spoke as government forces, despite taking heavy losses themselves, thrust deeper into rebel-held eastern territory, putting pressure on separatists.

Ukraine said it captured two Russian armoured vehicles

After a faltering start in April, government forces' success has alarmed some Western leaders who believe Mr Putin is being boxed in a corner.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to visit Kiev on Saturday in support for Mr Poroshenko, however diplomatic sources said she will also push Ukraine for a ceasefire to prevent a Putin backlash.

Fierce fighting has continued in the East, with 16 Ukrainian special forces troops killed in fighting on Wednesday night in the town of Ilovaisk, near Donetsk.

Sources said Germany's Angela Merkel would push for a ceasefire

Suspicion still surrounds the motives of the Russian convoy, which left a depot near Moscow more than a week ago, and claimed by opponents to being a 'Trojan horse'.

Ukrainian officials have also claimed they have discovered Russian military vehicles operating inside its borders.

The 280-truck convoy departed from near Moscow more than seven days ago

On Thursday, security spokesman Andriy Lysenko said: "Ukrainian soldiers captured two armoured vehicles of Russia's Pskov Airbourne division in a battle near Luhansk.

"One of the vehicles had a full set of documents, from driver's licences to military documents."

Russia immediately rejected allegations that it had sent vehicles into Ukraine.

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IS Demanded £80m For Journalist's Release

Islamic State (IS) fighters who beheaded American journalist James Foley had demanded £80m ($132.5m) for his release, according to AP news service.

Two anonymous American officials quoted by AP said the ransom demands were sent in emails to Mr Foley's family in Rochester, New Hampshire.

The US - unlike several European countries that have given millions to the terror group to spare their citizens - refused to pay.

A gruesome video was released of the reporter being killed by an IS jihadist in which the group says it is acting in retaliation for US airstrikes in Iraq.

James Foley was kidnapped in Syria two years ago

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel told a news conference the strikes have "stalled" the IS advance, but warned it would regroup and stage a new offensive.

He said IS is more than a traditional "terrorist group" and better armed, trained and funded than any recent threat.

"They marry ideology and a sophistication of strategic and tactical military prowess. They are tremendously well funded. This is beyond anything we have seen," he warned.

Mr Foley's killer is believed to be British

Asked why the American military has not launched airstrikes on IS forces in Syria, he said it was "exploring all options".

Earlier, US Attorney General Eric Holder said a criminal investigation has been launched into Mr Foley's murder.

Counter-terrorism police in the UK have already begun efforts to identify the black-clad man beheading the 40-year-old.

Although his face is covered, he speaks with an English, possibly London, accent.

The US has launched 57 airstrikes around Mosul Dam

People previously held hostage by IS have suggested he may be a jihadist known as "John" who was part of a group guarding captives in Syria. 

A former hostage, who was held for a year in the Syrian town of Raqqa, told The Guardian the killer was the ringleader of a trio of UK-born extremists nicknamed "The Beatles" because of their nationality.

The two others were reportedly dubbed Paul and Ringo.

American airstrikes have continued against IS forces in northern Iraq, despite the group threatening to kill a second US captive if attacks go on.

Chuck Hagel warns of the threat posed by IS

US Navy fighters and drones provided air cover to Iraqi and Kurdish forces trying to retake and maintain control of the strategically important Mosul Dam.

The US has carried out 90 airstrikes in Iraq since August 8, with 57 of them in support of Iraqi government forces near the dam.

Meanwhile, Interpol has called for a globally co-ordinated push to stop the tide of international fighters joining IS, also known as Isis.

It did not give any specific recommendations, but said it is particularly concerned that Mr Foley's killer may be British.

Pope Francis has phoned Mr Foley's parents Diane and John

"(This highlights) the need for a multilateral response against the terror threat posed by radicalised transnational fighters travelling to conflict zones in the Middle East," said Interpol Secretary-General Ronald Noble.

More than 1,000 radicals from Europe have joined Islamist militants in Syria and Iraq, and Interpol has long warned of the threat such fighters pose.

European governments fear they could stage attacks when they get home and have introduced new anti-terrorism measures to try to catch them or stop them leaving in the first place.

Pope Francis has phoned Mr Foley's parents Diane and John, according to a Vatican spokesman. He gave no details of the conversation.

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James Foley's Parents: 'We Know He's In Heaven'

The father of James Foley has said that he knows his son who was beheaded by militants "is in heaven", in an emotional tribute.

John Foley was speaking with his wife Diane and James's brother hours after a video emerged of an Islamic State (IS) militant murdering their son.

As he did so, US President Barack Obama said that the US would continue to do what was necessary to protect its people.

With his voice cracking up and standing next to his wife Diane at their home in Rochester, New Hampshire, John Foley said: "It's difficult to find solace at this point in time, but Jim is free. We know he's in God's hands and ... we know he's in heaven.

"We're so proud of him. We have to be happy for him. We need the courage and the prayers to continue without him, because he was an inspiration for us and for so many others.

James Foley was working as a journalist covering the war in Syria

"We miss his courage and his love and his determination. His laugh. His smile."

During the gruesome video of Mr Foley's death, Islamic State also threatened to kill another US journalist, Steven Sotloff, who they claim to be holding.

James Foley's younger brother Michael criticised the US government, saying he thought it could have done more to save Mr Foley.

He said, as a result, it needed to do more to free Mr Sotloff.

The propaganda video posted on social media sites by sources belonging to IS shows a masked man - speaking in English with an English accent - beheading the 40-year-old.

The killer says that Mr Foley was being beheaded because Barack Obama had ordered airstrikes against IS positions in northern Iraq.

The killer spoke with a British accent

Just before he was murdered, Mr Foley had the chance to make a statement, during which he said: "I wish I had more time, I wish I could have the hope of freedom and seeing my family once again, but that ship has sailed." 

Speaking from Martha's Harbour, Massachusetts, where he has been on holiday, Mr Obama said: "Today the American people will all say a prayer for those who loved Jim.

"Jim was taken from us in an act that shocks the conscience of the entire world.

"Jim Foley's life stands in stark contrast to his killers."

"No faith teaches people to massacre innocents. No just god would stand for what they did yesterday and what they do every single day. (Islamic State) has no ideology of any value to human beings.

"The United States of America will continue to do what we must do to protect our people. When people harm Americans anywhere, we do what is necessary to see that justice is done."

US President Obama says the US will do whatever is necessary

US officials told the Associated Press that military planners are considering whether to send up to 300 more ground troops to Iraq, mainly to provide additional security around Baghdad.

US aircraft carried out 14 air strikes on Islamic State militant targets in Iraq in the past 24 hours, officials said on Wednesday. It brought the total number of air raids since August 8 to 84.

Republican Senator and former Presidential candidate John McCain said America should dramatically increase the number of airstrikes and some should extend into Syria as a result of Mr Foley's murder.

Marie Harf, the White House spokesperson, said that the US administration agreed with British Prime Minister David Cameron that " it is increasingly likely that it is a British citizen" who murdered James Foley.

She added that US officials were working closely with British official to identify his killer.

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James Foley: US In Failed Hostage Rescue Bid

The White House has said it sent special forces into Syria to rescue hostages including James Foley, but could not locate them.

News of the unsuccessful attempt came as it was revealed the journalist's family were told he would be killed a week before his beheading by an Islamic State (IS) militant.

The 40-year-old was murdered in a propaganda video issued by the Islamist group, which warned another captured American, Steven Sotloff, would also be killed unless the US called off airstrikes in Iraq.

President Barack Obama's Homeland Security adviser, Lisa Monaco, said in a statement that authorities had recently become increasing concerned over the plight of hostages in Syria.

"The President authorised action at this time because it was the national security team's assessment that these hostages were in danger with each passing day in ISIL (IS) custody," she said.

James Foley disappeared in Syria in November 2012. Pic: Nicole Tung

"The US Government had what we believed was sufficient intelligence, and when the opportunity presented itself, the President authorised the Department of Defense to move aggressively to recover our citizens.

"Unfortunately, that mission was ultimately not successful because the hostages were not present."

Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said the operation "involved air and ground components and was focused on a particular captor network within ISIL (IS)".

Meanwhile, Mr Foley's employers said they received an email last Wednesday hitting out at US airstrikes and saying he would be "executed".

Philip Balboni, President of the Global Post news website, said: "On Wednesday night last week the Foley family received an email from the kidnappers that was full of rage against the United States bombing and they stated that they would execute Jim.

"Obviously, we hoped and prayed that that would not be the case.

"We communicated as quickly as we could, with the captors; pleaded with them for mercy."

Mr Balboni said the Global Post spent millions on efforts to bring Mr Foley home, including the hiring of an international security firm.

The militant in the propaganda video said Mr Foley was being killed because of US airstrikes against fighters from Islamic State, formerly known as ISIS or ISIL.

David Cameron spoke on Wednesday night after breaking off his holiday in order to return to Downing Street to be briefed on the murder.

He said it was looking "increasingly likely" that the militant in the video, who had a southeastern English accent, was British.

White House spokeswoman Marie Harf confirmed that US officials were working with British counterparts to establish the killer's identity.

More follows...

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Exclusive: US Recruits Iraq Security 'Advisers'

By Sam Kiley, Foreign Affairs Editor, and Pete Norman, Sky News Online

Barack Obama may have ruled out sending "boots on the ground" back to Iraq but in the face of a growing threat from the Islamic State (IS), the Pentagon appears to have hit upon a way to get them back in by the back door.

The US Army's Contracting Command has issued a tender notice for companies capable of deploying security assistance mentors and advisers in Iraq.

These individuals would be required for a 12-month contract, potentially extendable to a total of 36 months.

They are needed as consultants to the US "Office of Security Assistance in Iraq" and must be "cognisant of the goals of ... reducing tensions between Arabs and Kurds, and Sunnis and Shias".

Some 40,000 private security contractors formed a disparate mercenary army of mostly westerners during the American-led occupation of Iraq.

Private security guards may be set to return to Iraq. Pic: Pete Norman

Many had secret contracts to work with the Central Intelligence Agency and alongside US and British special forces to provide intelligence and guard forces.

Now it appears that former special forces operators and other highly skilled intelligence specialists are being recruited to return to Iraq.

Intelligence sources have told Sky News the only viable option to fight back against the spread of the IS is to restart the so-called Awakening programme which, by late 2008, had successfully mobilised Sunni tribesmen against al Qaeda.

The rump of al Qaeda fled to Syria where it became the core of what is now IS.

The new consultants would be required to conduct "force development", "training", "planning and operations" and "intelligence".

They would liaise with the Iraqi Ministry of Defence, its Counter Terrorism Service and other branches of government.

The "sources sought" document was published on August 11 by the US Army on a federal website with the intent to canvas private organisations to establish whether they were capable of supplying the services.

Once this is established, the scale and fee would then be set.

The success of the Awakening campaign involved training and fighting militant tribesmen to take on al Qaeda.

Many of their leaders have indicated they would be prepared to do the same again - but would turn against IS only once Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki, a Shia, steps down.

He has now indicated he is prepared to stand aside in favour of Haider al Abadi, a fellow Shia with a reputation for reaching out across the sectarian divide.

Private contractors would, inevitably, be drawn from the ranks of retired special operations troops and spies who were so integral to the Awakening campaign.

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IS 'Beheads US Journalist James Foley In Video'

Islamic State militants have released a video that purportedly shows the beheading of a US journalist who went missing two years ago.

The footage appears to show a masked man - speaking in English with an English accent - killing James Foley, who was seized by armed men in Syria in November 2012.

In the five-minute propaganda video, posted on social media sites by Islamic State sources, the man says Mr Foley was being killed because Barack Obama had ordered airstrikes against IS positions in northern Iraq.

The group also claimed to be holding another American journalist, Steven Sotloff, who appears at the end of the video, and said his life depended on the US President's next move.

Mr Foley in Syria before he was captured. Pic: Nicole Tung

A statement issued by Mr Foley's mother, Diane Foley, said: "We have never been prouder of our son, Jim. He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people.

"We implore the kidnappers to spare the lives of the remaining hostages. Like Jim, they are innocents. They have no control over American government policy in Iraq, Syria or anywhere in the world.

"We thank Jim for all the joy he gave us. He was an extraordinary son, brother, journalist and person. Please respect our privacy in the days ahead as we mourn and cherish Jim."

White House National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said the administration had seen the video but had not yet confirmed its authenticity.

She said that if it is verified by the intelligence community, the US would be "appalled by the brutal murder of an innocent American journalist".

John and Diane Foley, Mr Foley's parents, helped a public campaign

A "Find James Foley" campaign had been run by the 40-year-old's family to secure his release and posted a public message after the video was released.

It said: "We know that many of you are looking for confirmation or answers. Please be patient until we all have more information, and keep the Foleys in your thoughts and prayers."

Mr Foley was an experienced correspondent who had covered the war in Libya before heading to Syria to follow the revolt against Bashar al Assad for the Global Post, AFP and other outlets.

Philip Balboni, GlobalPost chief executive and co-founder, said the firm had been informed that the FBI is evaluating the video to determine whether it was authentic.

"We ask for your prayers for Jim and his family," he said.

According to witnesses, Mr Foley was seized in the northern Syrian province of Idlib on November 22, 2012.

The car he was travelling in was stopped by four militants in a contested battle zone that both Sunni rebel fighters and government forces were trying to control.

His family has not heard from him since, despite a public campaign for information.

Several senior US officials with direct knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press that IS very recently threatened to kill Mr Foley to avenge the American airstrikes over the last two weeks.

The strikes targeted militants advancing on Mount Sinjar, the Mosul Dam and Kurdish capital Irbil.

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Missouri Unrest Goes Deeper Than Teen's Death

Timeline Of Missouri Unrest

Updated: 2:13pm UK, Monday 18 August 2014

As violence in Ferguson, Missouri, continues, Sky News looks at crucial events in a week of unrest.

Here is a timeline:

:: August 9: Michael Brown is shot to death by police in Ferguson, a predominantly black suburb of St Louis, Missouri.

Police say the shooting took place during a scuffle where Mr Brown was shot multiple times. 

At least two witnesses say Mr Brown had his hands raised when the officer fired at him repeatedly.

:: August 10: St Louis County Police Chief Joe Belmar says Mr Brown was unarmed.

Violence erupts in the streets of Ferguson after a peaceful candlelight vigil. Several businesses are vandalised and looted.

:: August 11: Protests continue, with demonstrators demanding justice for Mr Brown.

The Justice Department announces an investigation.

Twitter users complain of alleged racial bias in the media portrayal of Mr Brown, and the hashtag "IfTheyGunnedMeDown" goes viral.

The teen's family appeal for calm and demand justice for their son. The family hire lawyer Benjamin Crump, who also represented the family of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed black teen who was shot dead in 2012 in Florida.

:: August 12: Police say death threats have been received and they withhold releasing the name of the officer who shot at Mr Brown.

President Barack Obama appeals for calm in his first statement on the case.

Protests continue.

:: August 13: Police say the officer involved in the shooting was injured in the confrontation.

Police chief Tom Jackson says "race relations are our top priority".

At violent protests during the night, two reporters are briefly detained by police. They are later released without any charges.

:: August 14: Mr Obama addresses the nation and urges calm, saying there is "no excuse" for "excessive force" by Missouri police.

The Missouri governor, Jay Nixon, names a State Highway Patrol captain to assume control of security in Ferguson. Captain Ron Johnson is an African-American who was born and raised in the area.

Peaceful demonstrations return to Ferguson as thousands of Americans hold rallies in 90 cities, including New York and Los Angeles, in memory of Mr Brown.

:: August 15: Police name Darren Wilson as the officer who shot Mr Brown. Mr Wilson is a six-year police veteran who had no previous complaints against him.

Police also give details of a robbery at a local convenience store that took place moments before the shooting. Documents distributed by police name Mr Brown as a suspect.

Violent protests resume.

:: August 16: Mr Nixon declares a state of emergency and imposes a curfew. But that fails to quell demonstrators, who clash with police in riot gear.

:: August 17: Attorney General Eric Holder orders a separate federal autopsy on the teen.

Mr Nixon tells CBS' Face The Nation that releasing CCTV video of the robbery "had an incendiary effect".

A private autopsy performed at the request of Mr Brown's family finds that the teen was shot at least six times, including twice in the head, according to the New York Times.

As protests continue, Mr Nixon announces the deployment of the National Guard.

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'No Evidence Of Struggle' On Missouri Teen's Body

Pathologists hired by the family of a Missouri teenager shot dead by police say a preliminary post-mortem found no evidence of a struggle between the victim and the officer.

The independent autopsy conducted on 18-year-old Michael Brown determined he was shot at least six times, including a "fatal shot" that entered the top of his head.

Forensic pathologist Shawn Parcells said it was possible that another bullet wound to Mr Brown's right forearm could have occurred while his arm was raised or while he had his back turned to the officer.

Michael Brown was shot dead on August 9

"But we don't know," Mr Parcells added. "We still have to look at the other (elements) of this investigation before we start piecing things together."

Witnesses have claimed Mr Brown was attempting to surrender when Officer Darren Wilson fatally shot the unarmed teen on August 9.

The shooting touched off a week of rancorous protests in the St Louis suburb where police have used riot gear and tear gas to quell looting and enforce a curfew.

On Monday, Barack Obama said Attorney General Eric Holder would travel to Ferguson later this week to meet with local law enforcement, community leaders and federal agents who are investigating the case.

The teen's shooting death has sparked daily protests

Former New York City chief medical examiner Dr Michael Baden, who led the independent post-mortem, said two bullets struck Mr Brown in the head, while four more hit his arm.

He said the wound to the top of Mr Brown's head suggested the teen was bent forward when the bullet struck him.

Police have said Ofc Wilson was pushed into his squad car, then physically assaulted in the vehicle during a struggle over his weapon.

At least one shot was fired inside the car, police said, before the struggle spilled on to the street.

On Monday, Dr Baden said the post-mortem did not reveal any signs of gunpowder on the victim's body, which would be consistent with close-range shots.

He added that neither he nor Mr Parcells examined Mr Brown's clothing, which could have traces of gunpowder.

Attorneys representing Mr Brown's family said the post-mortem results supported witness claims that Mr Brown was attempting to surrender when Ofc Wilson opened fire.

However, Dr Baden said the findings were not enough to "make a definitive judgement".

A third post-mortem will be conducted by federal authorities at the request of Mr Holder.

Results from an initial autopsy conducted by the St Louis County medical examiner's office have not been released.

Meanwhile, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has ordered the National Guard to Ferguson to "help restore peace and order" following yet another night of violent clashes.

Mr Nixon said that Guard troops will have a limited role under the direction of the state highway patrol, who took over for Ferguson police last week.

The governor also announced that he was lifting a midnight-to-5am curfew that had been put in place at the weekend.

Mr Obama reiterated his call for calm on Monday, saying that while he understands the passions over Mr Brown's death, "giving in to that anger by looting or carrying guns and even attacking the police only serves to raise tensions and to stir chaos.

"It undermines rather than advances justice," the president added.

He urged members of the community to "seek to heal, rather than wound each other".

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UK Military Mission In Iraq 'To Last Months'

British troops have been back on the ground in Iraq for the first time since 2009, as the Government admitted the UK's involvement "is not simply a humanitarian mission".

RAF aircraft have continued flying reconnaissance missions to help the fight against Islamic State (IS) militants after troops from the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire regiment were sent in to Irbil.

They were in the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region for 24 hours to prepare the ground for a possible rescue operation by Chinook helicopters.

But Defence Minister Michael Fallon told pilots and other service members taking part in the UK's general Iraq mission that it was likely to last "weeks and months".

Speaking at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, where the UK operation is based, he said: "There may well now be in the next few weeks and months other ways that we may need to help save life (and) protect people and we are going to need all of you again and the surveillance you are able to give us.

Kurdish peshmerga fighters have reportedly regained control of Mosul dam

"We want to help the new government of Iraq and Kurdish forces. We want to help them stop the advance of IS and stop them from being terrorised.

"This is not simply a humanitarian mission. We and other countries in Europe are determined to do what we can to help the government of Iraq combat this new and very extreme form of terrorism that IS is promoting."

It came after David Cameron said British "military prowess" would have to play a part in pushing back the threat from IS, the group previously known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

The Prime Minister said IS posed a "clear danger" to the UK and that the country would engage in military and diplomatic efforts alongside work to help refugees fleeing massacres.

Peshmerga fighters on the way to the Mosul dam

But senior Church of England bishops accused him of having no "coherent or comprehensive approach" to Islamist extremism and said he was failing to protect Christians from persecution.

The Bishop of Leeds used a strongly-worded letter to the PM - sanctioned by the Archbishop of Canterbury - to criticise a "growing silence" over the plight of persecuted Christians.

The RAF has deployed the Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft alongside Tornado jets to provide intelligence on IS movements across Iraq.

And security officials say Kurdish peshmerga fighters - aided by US air strikes - have regained some control of the strategically-important Mosul dam in a major boost for anti-IS forces.

Mr Cameron, who has resisted calls to recall Parliament to debate the crisis, ruled out sending in ground troops "to fight or occupy" but said tough action would be needed.

He said the IS aim of creating a "caliphate" across a swathe of the Middle East stretching close to Europe was "a clear danger" that could result in the violence spreading to the UK's streets.

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Iraq: Kurdish Forces Fight To Retake Mosul Dam

'Corpses Everywhere' After Jihadist 'Massacre'

Updated: 12:54pm UK, Saturday 16 August 2014

Dead bodies were found "everywhere" when Yazidi fighters arrived at a village where jihadists have been accused of carrying out a massacre, witnesses have said.

Officials believe Islamic State (IS) fighters killed around 80 people, mostly Yazidis, after arriving in the northern Iraq village of Kocho and demanding they abandon their beliefs and convert to Islam.

The militants also kidnapped women from the village in Nineveh province and took them to prisons they control, according to a senior Kurdish official.

Yazidi fighter Mohsen Tawwal told AFP by telephone that he saw a large number of bodies in the village.

"We made it into a part of Kocho village, where residents were under siege, but we were too late," he said.

"There were corpses everywhere. We only managed to get two people out alive. The rest had all been killed."

A man from a neighbouring village, who had been told what happened, added: "The Islamic State had spent five days trying to persuade villagers to convert to Islam and ... a long lecture was delivered about the subject today."

"The men were gathered and shot dead.

"The women and girls were probably taken to Tal Afar because that is where the foreign fighters are."

Senior Iraqi official Hoshyar Zebari said: "We have information from multiple sources, in the region and through intelligence, that (on Friday) afternoon, a convoy of (IS) armed men entered this village. 

"They took their revenge on its inhabitants, who happened to be mostly Yazidis who did not flee their homes.

"They committed a massacre against the people. Around 80 of them have been killed."

Thousands of Yazidis - people from a minority sect with an ancient religion - have been forced to flee their homes by the IS advance.

The extremist group, previously called ISIS, has swept across a large part of northern and central Iraq, taking Mosul and threatening Baghdad and Kurdish capital Irbil.

On Saturday, airstrikes targeted the group around Mosul Dam. It was not immediately clear if they were carried out by the Iraqi air force of the US. 

The IS seized Iraq's largest dam on August 7.

Iraq's human rights minister has said that Islamic State militants have killed at least 500 members of the Yazidi community during their offensive in the north.

Some of the victims, including women and children, were buried alive, Mohammed Shia al Sudani said.

The United Nations Security Council on Friday blacklisted six Islamist militants and threatened sanctions against anyone who helped arm or supply them.

Five members of the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, which operates in Syria, and Islamic State spokesman Abu Muhammad al Adnani were included on the British-drafted resolution, which also condemned all aspects of IS's activities and beliefs.

Earlier, EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels agreed to arm Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq.

The meeting of foreign ministers from the 28 EU nations was called by EU foreign policy chief Baroness Ashton and came after several European countries, including France and Germany, said they were prepared to supply weapons to the Peshmerga forces.

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Islamic Fighters 'Kill 400 And Take Families'

Al Maliki's Successor Faces Old Problems

Updated: 6:29pm UK, Friday 15 August 2014

By Andrew Wilson, Sky News Presenter, in Irbil, Iraq

The disaster in the Sinjar mountains turns out to be less of a public relations nightmare for Western leaders than first feared.

A few thousand destitute Yazidi people don't carry anything like the clout of tens of thousands.

The UNHCR operators on the ground had figured this out days ago. Their job is numbers and they know that in a brutal world, the problem isn't Sinjar anymore, it's the displacement of those that were there and are now here looking for long-term shelter from the Kurdish Regional Government and maybe even homes in Europe and America.

So what about the spread of this Islamic caliphate across Northern Iraq and Syria?

Well, as far as its leaders-in-waiting are concerned, it's going pretty well.

It's ominous dark shade on the Middle Eastern map is now one colour from Aleppo to Diyala on Iraq's eastern border. 

And, to date, that progress has been largely unchallenged.

Reports of executions and crucifixions have played a part; even the Taliban back in 2001 could not generate the kind of terror that precedes Islamic State (IS) fighters wherever they go.

But IS are picking their enemies strategically as well.

Few tears were shed in Washington when the extremists turned on President Assad, and as for Baghdad, it took so long for the West to declare mission accomplished and pull out that going back in now would be unthinkably embarrassing.

Better to find another old friend to blame, this time the stubbornly sectarian Nouri al Maliki.

It is all his fault that disgruntled Sunnis allowed the IS to swoop down in their armed pickups and help themselves to all the American weapons lying abandoned in the sand.

If only he had built a more unified Iraq with loyal officers and disciplined troops, says the West, failing to mention 2003 when a cadre of professional Iraqi generals stood ready to deploy their well-trained forces for the post-Saddam rebuild only to be shunned by the American occupiers who knew better. 

So now the successor is embraced. Haider al Abadi seems a decent man, more of a consensus builder than a bully.

He is still a Shia, of course, same party as Mr Maliki, in fact, and you wouldn't want his job for all the gold in Saddam's palace.

He will need three phones; for Washington, Tehran and Brussels, and they will all be on his case to fix - in no particular order - the Islamic Caliphate; Sunni minority rights; an army that's just given all its weapons to the other side; Shia aspirations for a greater Iraq joined by holy sites to Iran and, of course, tens of thousands of displaced Yazidis.

It's difficult, if not suicidal, to be a consensus politician in the Middle East.

Think Sadat, Rabin, or even Mahmoud Abbas sitting quietly in Ramallah with "Israeli traitor" daubed on the walls near his house.

Sadly, in this part of the world, where the borders were drawn by foreigners a long time ago, the time-honoured formula, still espoused by Assad, Sisi, the Royal families of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, is more simple: build a power base and crush your enemies.

Nouri al Maliki was on the way, but didn't make it.

And this time, no more boots on the ground.

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Kiev And Moscow Agree On Ukraine Aid Convoy

Kiev and Moscow have reached agreement on the passage of a Russian aid convoy into eastern Ukraine, according to the Red Cross.

Ukraine's government had been concerned the convoy of about 280 white trucks could be a 'Trojan horse', allowing Russia to set up a permanent presence in rebel-held territory.

But Russia "guaranteed" the US that no military personnel were in the vehicles, which have been stuck near the border for the past few days.

Moscow says the trucks are carrying water, food and medicine for people displaced by fighting in eastern Ukraine.

Red Cross officials - who have been examining the contents of the lorries - said they need security guarantees from both sides before the convoy can start moving across the border.

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said he spoke with his Russia counterpart Sergey Shoygo on Friday night and requested clarification on the convoy.

It came after Russia denied it had sent a separate armed convoy into Ukrainian territory that Kiev claims it partially destroyed.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said his forces had destroyed "much" of the Russian column, adding: "We won't tolerate any invasion."

Officials in Kiev said they tracked the vehicles, including armoured personnel carriers, from the border and then attacked with artillery.

Journalists from The Guardian and Daily Telegraph newspapers said they saw around 23 Russian military vehicles crossing the border near the town of Donetsk on Thursday night.

A woman, seen via a shrapnel hole, reacts after shelling in Donetsk

Moscow's Defence Ministry dismissed Kiev's claim that it had sent a convoy into Ukraine as "some kind of fantasy".

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin is due to meet his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Berlin on Sunday to discuss the crisis.

Fighting has escalated in eastern Ukraine, with government troops steadily taking back rebel-held territory.

The city of Luhansk is surrounded by Ukrainian troops and is reportedly suffering from electrical outages and shortages of food and medicine.

In Donetsk, the largest rebel-held city, four people were killed by shelling on Saturday afternoon, the mayor's office said.

The UN says an estimated 2,086 people have been killed and nearly 5,000 wounded in the four-month conflict.

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