Iraq on Sunday said it had “regained the initiative” against militants who seized vast swathes of territory, as former UN mediator lakhdar Brahimi blamed the crisis on global neglect of Syria’s civil war.
Washington responded to the sweeping unrest by deploying an aircraft carrier to the Gulf, but Iran has warned against foreign military intervention in its Shia neighbour, voicing confidence that Baghdad is able to repel the onslaught.
The militants, spearheaded by the powerful Islamic State of Iraq and the levant (ISIl) jihadist group, have overrun all of one province and chunks of three more since they launched their offensive late on Monday.