Hakim Al-zamili

The Islamic State group is aggressively pursuing development of chemical weapons, setting up a branch dedicated to research and experiments with the help of scientists from Iraq, Syria and elsewhere in the region, according to Iraqi and US intelligence officials.

Iraq may request Russian airstrikes against Islamic State on its soil soon and wants Moscow to have a bigger role than the United States in the war against the group, the head of parliament's defence and security committee told Reuters today.

Car bombs ripped through busy streets and markets in Iraq on Monday, killing at least 60 people in predominantly Shi'ite areas in some of the deadliest violence since Sunni insurgents stepped up attacks this year.

The Islamic State group is aggressively pursuing development of chemical weapons, setting up a branch dedicated to research and experiments with the help of scientists from Iraq, Syria and elsewhere in the region, according to Iraqi and US intelligence officials.

Iraq may request Russian airstrikes against Islamic State on its soil soon and wants Moscow to have a bigger role than the United States in the war against the group, the head of parliament's defence and security committee told Reuters today.

Car bombs ripped through busy streets and markets in Iraq on Monday, killing at least 60 people in predominantly Shi'ite areas in some of the deadliest violence since Sunni insurgents stepped up attacks this year.