Islamist Fighters Poised For March On Baghdad

Islamist insurgents are moving closer to the Iraqi capital despite threats of military strikes made by US President Barack Obama.

The Iraqi government says a fight-back is under way after Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) insurgents took control of the northern cities Mosul and Tikrit.

Security forces are gathering at a base just 20 miles outside Baghdad, ready to protect the city from ISIS fighters who have vowed to march on the city.

The US has confirmed ground troops will not be sent into Iraq, but Mr Obama says his administration is looking into "all options" to help Iraqi leaders.

Thousands of refugees have fled the violence. Pic: UNHCR

"I don't rule out anything because we do have a state in making sure that these jihadists are not getting a permanent foothold in either Iraq or Syria," he said.

"In our consultations with the Iraqis, there will be some short-term immediate things that need to be done militarily."

A US defence official says American surveillance drones have been in the air over Iraq to help the fight against the Sunni insurgents.

The Iraqi air force has also launched airstrikes on militant fighters' positions around Mosul and Tikrit.

Some of the areas affected by the fighting in Iraq

Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sherine Tadros, in Irbil, northern Iraq, said: "The Iraqis are attacking by air because they cannot attack by land.

"The army right now is extremely demolarised, it feels like it's lacking in leadership and it's splintering under this pressure. Meanwhile, the militants certainly seem like they have the upper hand and all the momentum right now."

ISIS fighters have previously taken control of Fallujah and parts of Ramadi. Fighting has also been reported on the outskirts of Samarra, within 70 miles of the capital.

Hundreds of Americans have also been evacuated from a military base in Balad, 50 miles north of Baghdad.

More than 500,000 people have fled the conflict in the Mosul region alone, with many heading into Kurdish areas in the north.

In Baiji, near Kirkuk, insurgents driving 50 vehicles were reported to have surrounded an oil refinery.

Abu Bakr al Baghdadi is the leader of the ISIS insurgents

The Iraqi army has also abandoned its bases in Kirkuk, leaving Kurdish Peshmerga forces to take control of an air base and other posts.

Sectarian political dysfunction has been blamed for the Shiite-led Baghdad government's failure to secure authorisation to declare a state of emergency.

Only 128 of 325 Iraqi MPs turned up for a special parliamentary session on Thursday, not enough to grant the extra powers sought by Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki.

ISIS, led by Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, wants to create a Sunni state, or caliphate, straddling the border between Iraq and Syria.

In a statement, the group's spokesman Abu Mohammed al Adnani said: "We have a score to settle, for there is an old balance with it (Baghdad), and we must make it even."

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