Kurds ‘advance on IS-held Sinjar’
Craig TaylorKurdish forces say they are making progress in a major offensive they have launched against Islamic State (IS) militants in Sinjar in northern Iraq. BBC News – Middle East
Middle East
Egypt military frees rights journalist
Egypt frees prominent investigative journalist Hossam Bahgat, whose arrest was condemned by human rights campaigners. BBC News – Middle East
Jordan policeman kills foreign trainers
A Jordanian policeman opens fire at a police training centre outside Amman, killing two Americans, a South African and a Jordanian, officials say. BBC News – Middle East
UK ‘letting down’ allies over Syria
The UK is “letting down” its allies by failing to launch air strikes against terror group Islamic State in Syria, Britain’s top military commander says. BBC News – Middle East
Mustard gas ‘was used’ in Syria attack
Mustard gas was used in clashes between Islamic State and Syrian rebels in August, chemical weapons experts conclude. BBC News – Middle East
Syria ‘profits from disappearances’
The Syria state is profiting from a black market in which people pay huge sums to find forcibly disappeared relatives, Amnesty International says. BBC News – Middle East