BATTLE TURNING AGAINST IS, SAYS US GEN MARTIN DEMPSEY (STA BREAKING NEWS and ARCHIVES)

by STANews , Saturday, November 15, 2014, 16:19

Gen Martin Dempsey said US forces had helped pull Iraq back from the precipice

America's top general has told US troops in Iraq that momentum is turning against Islamic State militants.

Gen Martin Dempsey, on an unannounced visit, called the militants "midgets" but said the battle against them was likely to take years.

The US has launched air strikes against IS and has more than 1,000 personnel in Iraq to help to train local forces.

IS controls huge areas of Iraq and Syria, though Iraqi forces have claimed victory in some recent battles.

The Iraqi army said earlier they had driven IS from around the country's largest oil refinery near the town of Baiji.

On Friday, officials said the military had also retaken Baiji, which had been under militant control since June.

The UN recently accused IS of imposing a rule of terror in some areas of Syria, characterised by public beheadings as well as widespread rape and torture of civilians.

PICS AND MORE...

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-30067485