Beirut (AFP) - The Islamic State group's spokesman confirmed on Tuesday the killing of the jihadist organisation's second in command in a US air strike earlier this year.

"America is rejoicing over the killing of Abu Mutaz al-Qurashi and considers this a great victory," Abu Mohamed al-Adnani said in an audio recording posted on jihadist websites.

"I will not mourn him... he whose only wish was to die in the name of Allah... he has raised men and left behind heroes who, God willing, are yet to harm America," he added.

Adnani did not say, however, in what circumstances Qurashi died.

But the White House, in an announcement on August 22, said that Qurashi, whose real name is Fadhil Ahmad al-Hayali, was killed on August 18 in a US air strike near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.

It said the strike targeted a vehicle and also killed an IS "media operative" known as Abu Abdullah.

The US National Security Council said at the time that Hayali was IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's senior deputy.

The White House described Hayali as a member of the IS ruling council, and "a primary coordinator for moving large amounts of weapons, explosives, vehicles and people between Iraq and Syria".

IS controls large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq and has set up an Islamic "caliphate" straddling both countries.

In its August announcement the White House also said that Hayali "was in charge of ISIL operations in Iraq, where he was instrumental in planning operations over the past two years, including the ISIL offensive in Mosul in June 2014," using another name for IS.

Like many senior Iraqi jihadists, before joining the IS group, Hayali had been a member of Al-Qaeda's Iraqi faction.

He was reportedly a former Iraqi officer from the era of Saddam Hussein.

IS militants launched a devastating offensive in Iraq in June 2014.

Turkey said it summoned the U.S. ambassador to issue a rebuke over America’s support for Kurds fighting Islamic State in Syria.

The government won’t tolerate international support for ethnic Kurdish militants in Syria, including the PYD, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in a joint press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart in Istanbul. Weapons given to the groups, which have “organic links” to autonomy-seeking Kurdish PKK militants in Turkey, can be used against security forces at home, he said.

“Allied countries wouldn’t tolerate arms shipments to groups affiliated with al-Qaeda,” he said. "No one can guarantee that weapons won’t fall into the hands of the PKK tomorrow, and that they won’t be used against Turkey."

Long-running tensions between Turkey’s government and the Kurds flared again after inconclusive elections in June gave the pro-Kurdish HDP parliamentary representation for the first time, ending the 13-year majority enjoyed by the AK Party founded by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. That internal strife is now complicating relations with Turkey’s allies, in particular the U.S., which relies on Syria-based Kurdish fighters on the ground to back up its airstrikes against Islamic State.

While Turkey and the U.S., both members of NATO, consider the PKK to be a terrorist organization, they disagree on the status of the PYD.

Turkey fears the growing strength of the group, and its armed unit YPG, will lead to an independent Kurdish state on its border. Erdogan said last month the U.S. should reconsider its “wrong” stance on the group, calling it “unthinkable” that it would ignore Turkey’s views. Both the PYD and YPG are terrorist groups affiliated with the PKK, he said.

Russia has also entered the war in Syria, ostensibly in opposition to Islamic State but fighting alongside the forces of President Bashar al-Assad. Davutoglu said on Wednesday Russia’s envoy was also summoned to make it clear Turkey wouldn’t tolerate any spill-over from its involvement.

(Bloomberg)

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis asked forgiveness Wednesday for recent scandals that have rocked Rome and the Vatican, showing again he doesn't much care about making waves if it's for the sake of reassuring his flock.

Francis didn't cite examples in his off-the-cuff request for pardon at the start of his general audience and his spokesman declined to elaborate on what he might have meant. However, the past week has seen its fair share of headline-making news that has involved the church in one way or another.

On the eve of Francis' big and contentious meeting on family issues, a Vatican monsignor came out as gay and, with his boyfriend by his side, denounced homophobia in the Catholic Church. He was summarily fired from his job in the Vatican's doctrine office.

A few days later, Rome's mayor resigned amid scandal of his own doing. But Mayor Ignazio Marino's downfall followed criticism within the church that the city was ill-prepared to handle the millions of pilgrims expected for Francis' Jubilee Year of Mercy, which starts in December. In an uncharacteristic jab, Francis himself spoke critically of Marino en route home from the U.S.

And finally, Francis' synod has been rocked by revelations that a dozen conservative cardinals wrote to the pope with serious concerns about the way the meeting was being run.

"Before I begin the catechesis I would like in the name of the church to ask your forgiveness for the scandals which have recently fallen on Rome and the Vatican," Francis said to thousands of people gathered in damp but warm weather in St. Peter's Square. "I ask your forgiveness."

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Pope Francis delivers a blessing as he arrives in St. Peter's Square for the weekly general audi …

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, declined to specify which scandals Francis was referring to, saying the pope clearly intended his apology to be "ample and general."

While stressing that Marino's resignation was a political, not church, issue, Lombardi said it had clearly affected ordinary Romans who had come to the audience, and that Francis, who is bishop of Rome, wanted to acknowledge their pain.

During the audience, the pope also greeted some of the 33 Chilean miners who survived 69 days underground in 2010 after their mine shaft caved in.

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Pope Francis asks for forgiveness

The pontiff didn't cite specifics, but the past week has seen a fair share of headline-making church news.
'Scandal happens'