Iraq Updates 06/17/14

15 killed in Baghdad explosions: Iraqi police and hospital officials say a string of explosions in Baghdad has killed at least 15 people and wounded more than 30.

Sunni militants capture Tal Afar, Iraqi town near Syrian border: -- Sunni militants captured a strategic city along the highway to Syria on Monday, moving closer to their goal of linking areas under their control on both sides of the border.

Iraqi, Syrian governments begin joint airstrikes against ISIL: The air strikes are in response to the ISIL’s capture of Iraqi army equipment. ISIL reportedly “brought into Syria heavy weapons including tanks,” reports AFP.

Kurdish forces hold Iraqi border crossing with Syria: - Kurdish forces took control of a border crossing point with Syria, while Iraqi security forces fought insurgent groups who were trying to seize an ethnically mixed city in the country's northern province of Nineveh, military sources said on Sunday

Iraqi Kurdistan PM in Iran for talks: The Prime Minister of Iraq's Kurdistan region is in Tehran for talks with Iranian officials, media reported Monday, amid efforts to thwart a Sunni insurgent offensive north of Baghdad.

Rise of Shiite militias could fracture Iraq: The emergence of the militias as a legitimate force enjoying the support of the Shiite-led government and the blessing of the religious establishment poses a threat to Iraq's unity, planting the seed for new sectarian strife and taking the regional Shiite-Sunni divide to a potentially explosive level.

White House says it does not want military coordination with Iran: A White House official said on Monday that there could be talks with Iran on the sidelines of meetings on Tehran's nuclear program about the mounting crisis in Iraq, but the United States is not interested in any military coordination with Tehran.

Israel concerned about any US-Iran cooperation in Iraq: Israel voiced concern on Monday at the prospect of its closest ally, Washington, cooperating with its what it considers its deadliest foe, Iran, to stave off a sectarian break-up of Iraq.

US steps up military preparations over Iraq: UN says it is pulling its staff out of Baghdad.: The US defence department said that there were no plans for military coordination with Iran in Iraq.

US warship with 550 Marines enters Persian Gulf: The USS Mesa Verde with 550 Marines onboard has entered the Persian Gulf on Monday for a possible operation in Iraq. It comes after President Obama ruled out sending ground troops to the militant-assaulted country.

Blair: Bombing Iraq Better. Again: Op-Ed: Over the weekend, the British media was awash with the blood-splattered Tony Blair's self-serving attempts to justify the illegal invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Boris Johnson asks Tony Blair to 'put a sock in it' over 'unhinged' comments on Iraq crisis: The London mayor said that he had “come to the conclusion that Tony Blair has finally gone mad.”

Pat Robertson unloads on Bush for latest Iraq crisis: ‘We were sold a bill of goods!’: “And so to sell the American people on weapons of mass destruction, he had WMD and was getting [concentrated uranium] yellowcake out of Africa and all of that, it was a lot of nonsense,” the TV preacher said. “We were sold a bill of goods, we should never have gone into that country!”