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Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud (R) receives Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 19, 2017.(photo byREUTERS/Bandar Algaloud)

Author:Omar Sattar Posted June 23, 2017

BAGHDAD Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's foreign tour this week included three stops, most notably Saudi Arabia. It was his first visit to the country since he assumed his position about three years ago. Also, the visit occurred at a time when Gulf relations are going through a historic crisis that erupted after Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates officially cut ties with Qatar.

TranslatorSami-Joe Abboud

Before leaving for Saudi Arabia, Abadi said in a May 17 meeting attended by Al-Monitor and a group of media professionals that his visit to Saudi Arabia was planned more than a year ago and that he would not discuss the Gulf crisis. He also added that Iraq will not take part in the crisis in any way whatsoever.

The visit to Saudi Arabia aims to strengthen the relationship between the two countries, especially on the economic level, as Riyadh promised to provide facilitations to Iraqi investors and contribute to the reconstruction of Iraqi cities liberated from the Islamic State [IS], in addition to raising the level of security coordination between the two countries in the fight against terrorism.

Abadi arrived in Riyadh on June 19 as the head of a high-level government delegation. He met with King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, then-Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef and then-Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The meetings mainly led to the establishment of a joint coordination council, as per the Saudi-Iraqi joint statement, in order to take into account everything that could strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries to the desired strategic level; open new horizons of cooperation in various political, security, economic, development, trade, investment, touristic and cultural fields; activate the partnership between the private sectors of both countries; and follow up on the implementation of the agreements and memorandums of understanding signed between the two countries in order to achieve common goals.

However, some international newspapers, including Emirati daily The National, revealed that Abadi is mediating to calm the situation in the region and end the state of tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran, especially as the Iraqi prime ministers jet flew from the city of Mecca directly to the Iranian capital city of Tehran in a move aimed at achieving political balance and playing an implicit role in mediation.

Adnan al-Sarraj, a member of the State of Law coalition and a close associate of the prime minister, told Al-Monitor that Abadi had no plans of officially mediating between Tehran and Riyadh, but he repeatedly expressed hope that the hostility that reached the level of direct threat between Saudi Arabia and Iran would end.

Sarraj added that Iraq is the most qualified party to play the role of mediator because it is the first victim of any clash that takes place in the region. Meanwhile, Iraq has good relations with everyone but the main objective of the Abadi tour is to urge these countries to help reconstruct the cities liberated from IS.

Sarraj denied reports that Abadi's visit to Tehran was a spur-of-the-moment thing and unplanned, as opposed to the statements made by some officials in Iran, including Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari. These statements expressed Irans unwillingness to receive Abadi, which reflected the countrys discontent at Iraqs openness to Saudi Arabia and mediation attempt with Riyadh.

Abadi arrived in Tehran June 20 and met with President Hassan Rouhani, parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who stressed during his conversation with the Iraqi delegation the need to maintain the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), which he described as a blessed fruit and one of Iraqs backbones. Khamenei also praised the arrival of the PMU to the Syrian border as a major strategic step and warned Abadi against confiding in the Americans and following their policies in Iraq.

A source in the Iraqi delegation accompanying the prime minister told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that while Abadis visit to Riyadh was upon the invitation of Saudi Arabia, it was the Iraqi government that requested the Iranian side to receive the Iraqi government delegation at this particular time.

The goal behind the timing of the two visits is to deliver a message of reassurance to Iraqis and the regional powers that the Iraqi government will not side with a regional party against another and will reject the policy of regional axes, the source added.

Asked about reports that Iraq is seeking to mediate between Saudi Arabia and Iran or even interfere in the Gulf crisis, the source said, There were no mediation attempts, but Iraq expressed its position on the current crises in the region and explained that [Iraq] is the most affected party therein. Abadi stressed the need to fathom Iraq's domestic situation and establish calm.

Abadi's visit to Kuwait was symbolic after the visits to Saudi Arabia and Iran, whose competition in the region has largely contributed to the majority of the regional crises. Kuwait has initiated an intermediation between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Iraq also has proposed an intermediation between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Knowing that Qatar's relationship with Iran was one of the reasons behind the Gulf rupture with Qatar, Abadi's visit to Kuwait can strengthen the role of the moderate group (Kuwait, Iraq and Oman) in the region to bring the enemies together and solve the crisis in the Gulf.

On May 21, the Iraqi delegation met with Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad and discussed with him the possibility of postponing the indemnities of the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, which amount to about $4 billion, and called for bringing Kuwaiti investments to the Iraqi provinces that suffered from the war against IS.

Abadis success in gaining excellent relations with Saudi Arabia which also infers strengthened relations with the UAE, Bahrain and even Egypt and in restoring diplomatic representation to the highest levels while attracting Saudi investments will put Iraq to the test and require it to prove that it is not siding with the Saudi axis that is hostile to the Iranian axis. This will probably lead the country to lose some of its Shiite allies who reject any Saudi role in Iraq.

Read More: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/06/iraq-saudi-iran-kuwait-is-mosul-abadi.html

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Iraq's PM concludes tightrope regional tour - Al-Monitor

Updated: 9:57 AM ET | Originally published: Jun 21, 2017

(IRBIL, Iraq) The Islamic State group blew up a historic landmark in Mosul the city's famed 12th century al-Nuri mosque with its iconic leaning minaret known as al-Hadba, from where the IS leader proclaimed the militant group's self-styled caliphate nearly three years ago.

The explosion destroyed another piece of priceless Iraqi cultural heritage but also sent a strong message to U.S.-led coalition forces and Iraqi troops closing in on the last stronghold of IS, in Mosul's Old City neighborhood.

Iraq's Ministry of Defense said the militants detonated explosives planted inside the structures on Wednesday night. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi tweeted early on Thursday that the destruction was an admission by the militants that they are losing the fight for Iraq's second-largest city.

"Daesh's bombing of the al-Hadba minaret and the al-Nuri Mosque is a formal declaration of their defeat," al-Abadi said, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group.

"It is a shock, a real big shock," Amir al-Jumaili, a professor at the Archaeology College in Mosul told The Associated Press.

The al-Nuri mosque, which is also known as Mosul's Great Mosque, is where IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi made a rare public appearance, declaring a so-called Islamic caliphate in the summer of 2014, shortly after Mosul was overrun by the militants. The minaret that leaned like Italy's Tower of Pisa had stood for more than 840 years.

The IS blew up the mosque during the celebrations of Laylat al Qadr, the holiest night of the year for Muslims. The "Night of Power" commemorates the night the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is now underway.

An IS statement posted online shortly after the Ministry of Defense reported the mosque's destruction blamed an airstrike by the United States for the loss of the mosque and minaret.

The U.S.-led coalition rejected the IS claim. Spokesman, U.S. Army Col. Ryan Dillon told the Associated Press coalition planes "did not conduct strikes in that area at that time."

IS fighters initially attempted to destroy the minaret in July 2014. The militants said the structure contradicted their fundamentalist interpretation of Islam, but Mosul residents converged on the area and formed a human chain to protect it. IS has demolished dozens of historic and archaeological sites in and around Mosul, saying they promoted idolatry.

Earlier this month, Mosul residents reported IS fighters had begun sealing off the area around the mosque. Residents said that IS fighters ordered families living in the area to leave likely in preparation for the militants' final stand.

"This is a crime against the people of Mosul and all of Iraq, and is an example of why this brutal organization must be annihilated," U.S. Maj. Gen. Joseph Martin, the commander of coalition ground forces in Iraq, said in a written statement.

"The responsibility of this devastation is laid firmly at the doorstep of ISIS," he added. ISIS is another acronym for the Islamic State group.

The mosque sat at the heart of the Old City, the last IS stronghold in Mosul. Iraqi forces launched a push into the Old City earlier this week, but have made slow progress as the last IS fighters there are holed up with an estimated 100,000 civilians according to the United Nations.

The United Nations special envoy to Iraq, Jan Kubis, said the destruction "is a clear sign" of the IS group's imminent collapse.

"This latest barbaric act of blowing up a historic Islamic site adds to the annals of Daesh's crimes against Islamic, Iraqi and human civilization," Kubis said in a statement. "The destruction ... shows their desperation and signals their end."

Brett McGurk, the U.S. envoy for the global coalition against IS, also criticized the destruction at the hands of the militants, describing it as "a very significant moment," in comments Thursday at an annual security and policy conference in Herzliya, Israel.

"Late yesterday, as Iraqi security forces closed in on that mosque about a hundred meters away, ISIS blew it up, a mosque that sat there since the 12th century, ISIS blew it up," McGurk said.

The fight to retake Mosul was launched more than eight months ago and has displaced more than 850,000 people. While Iraqi forces have experienced periods of swift gains, combat inside the city has largely been grueling and deadly for both Iraqi forces and civilians.

Al-Jumaili, the archaeology professor, said he long feared the destruction of the mosque and minaret was inevitable.

"It was the last icon for the historic city of Mosul and a valuable symbol," he said. "I am sure Mosul residents could not sleep last night."

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ISIS Destroys One of Iraq's Most Iconic Mosques - TIME

A member of Canada's Joint Task Force 2 killed the insurgent with a McMillan TAC-50 sniper rifle

A HERO sniper took out an ISIS fanatic with an incredible 11,300ft shot measuring two miles the longest confirmed kill ever recorded.

A member of Canadas Joint Task Force 2 killed the insurgent with a McMillan TAC-50 sniper rifle during an operation last month in Iraq, according to reports.

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imfdb.org

Sources wouldnt reveal the names of the elite sniper and his partner or the exact location where the shooting took place for operational reasons.

A military source told the Globe and Mail:The shot in question actually disrupted a Daesh [Islamic State] attack on Iraqi security forces.

Instead of dropping a bomb that could potentially kill civilians in the area, it is a very precise application of force and because it was so far way, the bad guys didnt have a clue what was happening.

The source stressed the operation fell within the strictures of the Trudeau governments advise and assist mission, news.com.au reports.

The shot took just under 10 seconds to hit the target and was fired from a high-rise location during an operation within the past four weeks.

The kill was independently verified by video camera and other data, according to the Canadian press.

AP:Associated Press

Another military source added:Hard data on this. It isnt an opinion. It isnt an approximation. There is a second location with eyes on with all the right equipment to capture exactly what the shot was.

This is an incredible feat. It is a world record that might never be equalled.

The longest confirmed kill world record was previously held by British sniper Craig Harrison, who shot a Taliban soldier with a 338 Lapua Magnum rifle from 8,120ft - equal to 1.5 miles - away in 2009.

Previously Canadian Corporal Rob Furlong had set the world record in 2002 at 7,972ft when he gunned down an Afghan insurgent carrying an RPK machine gun during Operation Anaconda in 2002.

Weeks before that the record was held by Canadian Master Corporal Arron Perry who fatally shot an insurgent from7,578ft during the same operation.

Canada is not part of The Multi-National Force Iraq which consists of military from the US, UK, Australia, Spain and Poland.

The skill of the JTF2 sniper in taking down an insurgent at 11,300ft required math skills, great eyesight, precision of ammunition and firearms, and intense training.

Alamy

It is at the distance where you have to account not just for the ballistics of the round, which change over time and distance, you have to adjust for wind, and the wind would be swirling, said a source with expertise in training Canadian special forces.

You have to adjust for him firing from a higher location downward and as the round drops you have to account for that. And from that distance you actually have to account for the curvature of the Earth.

The operation is reported to have involved about 200 JTF2 elite special forces in northern Iraq, primarily tasked with counter-terrorism, sniper operations and hostage rescue.

The Trudeau government has expanded the military commitment in Iraq, committing 207 Canadian special forces trainers in an assist, train and advise mission. Canadian commandos are not meant to be involved in direct combat.

An army source said:Canada has a world-class sniper system. It is not just a sniper. They work in pairs. There is an observer.

This is a skill set that only a very few people have.

The longest confirmed sniper kill shot by a US solider was by Sergeant Bryan Kremer when he killed an Iraqi insurgent with his Barrett M82A1 rifle at 7,545ft in 2004.

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Hero sniper takes out ISIS fanatic in Iraq with incredible TWO MILE shot the longest confirmed kill ever recorded - The Sun

The Defence Minister has visited New Zealand troops at Camp Taji near Baghdad in Iraq.

Defence Minister Mark Mitchell speaks to the contingent. Photo: Supplied

Mark Mitchell met the Defence Force contingent who are training Iraqi Security Forces to fight against Islamic State militants.

Mr Mitchell said since the deployment began in 2015, New Zealand's troops had trained more than 23,000 Iraqi soliders.

"Good progress continues to be made in the final liberation of Mosul and the military defeat of ISIS, while not underestimating the longer term challenges the Iraqi government and Iraqi people face as they stabilise and rebuild territory regained from ISIS," Mr Mitchell said in a statement.

New Zealand has 106 trainers, force protection soldiers and regular soldiers at Camp Taji, where Iraq troops are trained in partnership with the Australian Defence Force.

Mr Mitchell, who became Defence Minister in April, was accompanied by National MP Todd Muller and Labour's David Parker.

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Defence Minister visits forces stationed in Iraq - Radio New Zealand

Pedestrians cross an intersection in the Shibuya district of Tokyo, Japan, on Feb. 16, 2014. Yuriko NakaoBloomberg/Getty Images

Updated: 9:27 AM ET | Originally published: 8:48 AM ET

Good morning. These are todays top stories:

Republican leaders in the Senate today are expected to publicly reveal their proposed health care bill , which is meant to replace the Affordable Care Act. Among other changes, the measure would cut Medicaid and no longer penalize people for not buying insurance, according to the Associated Press.

ISIS militants exploded Iraqs ancient and iconic al-Nuri mosque , which is also known as Mosul's Great Mosque and dates to the 12th century, according to the AP. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the ISIS groups latest destruction "is a formal declaration of their defeat."

The world's population is on track to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, according to a new United Nations report . There are currently about 7.6 billion people in the world. The forecast also says Indias population is projected to exceed Chinas in less than a decade.

Also:

At least 29 people were killed in a suicide car bombing outside a bank in Afghanistan .

The stabbing of a police officer at an airport in Flint , Mich., is being investigated as terrorism .

An Indiana waterpark has shut down after children suffered chemical burns from chlorine.

More than half of teens are having sex, and most use birth control, a new study has found.

Step aside, fidget spinner. The " toothpick crossbow" is now sweeping China.

The Morning Brief is published Mondays through Fridays. Email Morning Brief writer Melissa Chan at melissa.chan@time.com .

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Health Care Bill, ISIS Iraq, World Population: Top Stories | Time.com - TIME