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WORLD NEWSThursday 21 January 2016

Global allies agree to intensify fight against Islamic State

LOLITA C. BALDOR tions to intensify the cam- agreement on a coordi- session with Le Drian and Drian said, using the Arabic
Associated Press paign against Islamic State nated plan to battle IS over defense ministers from acronym for the Islamic
PARIS (AP) — U.S. Defense militants in Iraq and Syria. the next year and retake France, Australia, Germa- State group.
Secretary Ash Carter won Carter said at a news con- key cities under the mili- ny, Italy, the Netherlands Carter has said he would
and Britain. not hesitate to challenge
French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, left, poses for photographers with U.S. Defense Carter also said the main the core nations to do
26 nations in the anti-IS co- more in the fight in the
Secretary Ash Carter, center, and British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon after a meeting at alition, as well as Iraq, will coming year.
assemble in Brussels next According to a senior de-
the defense minister residence in Paris, Wednesday Jan 20, 2016. Carter is in Paris to meet with a month, after a NATO de- fense official, there were
fense ministers’ meeting, no specific offers from the
handful of key coalition countries battling the Islamic State Group in Iraq and Syria as they map to continue the talks. Those ministers. Instead, a con-
26 countries have provid- sensus emerged that they
out plans for the coming year’s fight. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon) ed specific military troops, were open to doing more.
equipment or weapons in The official said that U.S.
agreement Wednesday ference with French De- tants’ control. “We agreed the campaign against the Vice Adm. Mark Fox, depu-
from defense ministers from fense Minister Jean-Yves Le that we all must do more,” extremists. Other nations ty commander at U.S. Cen-
France and five other na- Drian that there was broad Carter said shortly after a have provided various tral Command, outlined
types of nonmilitary sup- the specific military needs
port, such as humanitarian to the defense ministers.
aid. Carter urged the co- The defense ministers also
alition to seize the opportu- discussed plans to retake
nity now to hasten the ter- two major cities in Iraq and
rorist group’s defeat. Syria that serve as power
The U.S. has mapped out centers for IS. The coali-
a coordinated campaign tion wants to help Iraqi and
against IS over the next Kurdish peshmerga forces
year, and Carter laid out regain control of Mosul in
the plans to the ministers northern Iraq and to as-
during meeting hosted sist the Syrian moderate
with France. forces in ousting Islamic
“Because Daesh is retreat- State militants from Raqqa,
ing and we have man- Syria, the group’s self-pro-
aged to affect its resourc- claimed capital.
es in the ground, it is the “Raqqa and Mosul must
moment to increase our be won back,” Le Drian
collective forces with a co- said, adding that it can
herent military strategy,” Le only succeed if the co-
alition supports the local
Iran reformists call for reversal of candidate ban forces on the ground in
Iraq and Syria. U.S. military
ALI AKBAR DAREINI Council, a watchdog dom- erate President Hassan ahead of the elections to leaders say the coalition is
Associated Press inated by hard-liners. Rouhani’s supporters and increase voter turn-out. gaining ground on IS, and
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, his hard-line opponents. However, he said those they hope the six core na-
reformist political factions the head of the council, Reformists and moderates who don’t have faith in the tions can encourage oth-
on Wednesday called on was quoted by the semiof- hope to form a coalition ruling system should not be ers to contribute. While Eu-
the constitutional watch- ficial ISNA news agency as once their candidates sur- allowed to hold office. ropean nations have been
dog to reverse its decision saying the body “will not vive the screening process. “Nowhere in the world heavily involved, the U.S.
to disqualify large num- be influenced by pressure.” Hard-liners and conserva- do decision-makers allow would like to see more di-
bers of moderates and But his deputy, Siamak Rah- tives are split into several those who have no faith in rect military contributions
reformists from running in peik, said it’s likely that up groups, making them more the system to run,” he said. — both equipment and
next month’s parliamen- to 15 percent of those dis- vulnerable. Barring moderates from training — from Arab and
tary elections. Nine reform- qualified from running will Iran’s Supreme Leader, running is seen as a tactic Asian countries. Arab na-
ist political parties issued a be reinstated during the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, by hard-liners worried that tions joined the coalition’s
statement noting that only reviewing process. His com- hinted at a possible rever- Rouhani’s success in lifting airstrike campaign early
30 of the 3,000 reformist ments were posted on the sal to the Guardian Coun- sanctions under a landmark on, but the defense of-
candidates fielded across council’s website. cil decision when he told nuclear deal with world ficial said there has been
the country were allowed The Feb. 26 election will be State TV that “enthusiasm” powers will give moderates very little Arab participa-
to run by the Guardian a contest between mod- should be drummed up an electoral boost.q tion in the airstrike cam-
paign in recent months. q