BBC news with Jonathan Izard
Washington has acknowledged IS’s victory in Syria and Iraq in the past week as a setback. President Obama promised more help to Iraq security forces and said U.S will try to increase military training in Sunni areas. Here is our Arabic affairs editor Sebastian Usher.
"With reports of beheadings in the street of Palmyra after the Syrian desert city fell to IS Wednesday, the Jihadist threat is looming large again. That victory come just days after possibley more significant one in Ramadi, in neighboring Iraq. These gains have undercut the core pillar of U.S strategy against IS. That airstrike, limited ground operations by local forces can’t contain the group if not defeat it as yet."
Despite the setback in Palmyra, at a magazine interview, President Obama insisted that US was not losing the war with the IS militants, also known as ISIL. Marie Harf is the spokeswomen for the State of Department.
“We haven’t faced a strategy that we believe is the right one to eventually achieve our goals and in Iraq, for example, we talk a lot about Ramadi and Syrian setback. We have had success in helping Iraqis push ISIL out of a lot of its territory. And in a long conflicts like this, there will be days like we saw on Ramadi and will be ebbs and flows.
The U.S has for the first time admitted that its airstrike against the IS targets have killed civilians. In a Pentagon briefing, a official said two children were killed during a strike in Syria last year. Our correspondent Kerry Donahue says Washington believed accidents like this are few and far between.
“One thing you will find American defense establishment people stressing is there’s been more than 4,000 airstrikes in Iraq and Syria as part of these result operations and they would argued this is pretty low strike in terms of civilian casualty. There are other groups of course argued that would be far higher civilians death and US will be prepared to admit to.
A monitoring group says the Syrian government’s lost control of its border with Iraq after IS militant seized the crossing in Homs province. The Syria Observatory for Human Rights said all the crossings with the Iraq will now be controlled by IS or Kurdish fighters.
In the U.S, a grand of jury in Baltimore has indicted all six of police officers charges in connection with death of black man in custody. Freddie Gray, died from severe spine injury sustained during his arrest in April. His death sparked protests and riots over police violence toward black man. The charges include assault, manslaughter and murder. The State Attorney in Baltimore Marian Mosby give the statement.
Our investigations reviewed that we have sufficient probable cause to bring charges against six police officers. As our investigation continued, additional information has been discovered and as is often the case, during a ongoing investigation charges can and should be revised based upon the evidence.
World news from the BBC.
The BBC has learned that at least 260 women and children rescued from the militant — Islamic group Boko haram have been transferred to Nigerian military facility, where they were being given medical help and counselling. It is part of the program to rehabilitate the victims of extremism.
Mexican federal investigators are looking into the disappearances of at least 15 people in the city of Chilapa in the state of Guerrero, after the city was overrun for five days by armed men. Here is our American Stuffs editor Candace Piette.
The families of the disappeared said hundreds of masked men with rifles arrived in pickup trucks in Chilapa on May the 9th, the men said they were community police, they disarmed the town security force and set up check points. They started searching the town and taking people away. Most of the disappeared are young men under the age of 30. The town of Chilapa has been the battle ground for two rival gangs fighting for territorial control. Local media say the number of the disappeared could be much higher.
The European Security organization says the two Russians captured by the Ukrainian forces have admitted being members of Russia’s armed forces. Both men said they were armed, but have no orders to attack. They said they were on reconnaissance mission.
The president of Dutch Football Association Michael Van Praagh and Portuguese former football star Luis Figo have dropped out of the election for the presidency of the sport’s world governing body -FIFA. In comments seen as referring to the incumbent, Sepp Blatter, who's seeking a fifth term of office, Mr. Figo says the process was designed to deliver absolute power to one man. We read Figo’s statement.
“This election process is plebiscite for the delivery of absolute power to one man. Something I refuse to go along with. I do not fear the ballot box, but I will not go along with, nor will I give my consent to a process which will end on the May 29th and from which soccer will not emerge the winner.