Southern Shune: Iraq's deputy prime minister is appealing for greater international help in fighting the Islamic State group, saying its recent takeover of the key city of Ramadi was a "big disaster" and that the country's own forces could not adequately fight back.
Saleh al-Mutlaq, speaking to AP at a regional conference of the World Economic Forum in Jordan today called for a "new strategic plan" for Iraq and for international coalition forces to "terminate" the Islamic State group in Iraq.
The jihadi group's conquest last week of Ramadi essentially completes its takeover of the key province of Anbar, whose other main city, Fallujah, fell over a year ago.
Al-Mutlaq said allowing Islamic State "to expand in Anbar is unacceptable and the capacity of the Iraqis is very limited."
