Iraq military spokesman confirms contingent of US advisers has srrived in Baghdad

(25 Jun 2014) An Iraqi military spokesman said on Wednesday that a key Iraqi oil refinery in Beiji, north of Baghdad, remained under government control on Wednesday, following a dawn raid by Sunni militants earlier in the day. Lieutenant General Qassim al-Moussawi told a news conference in Baghdad that "48 terrorists including eight commanders from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)" had been killed during the raid and that five vehicles belonging to the insurgent group had been set on fire. The refinery is located in the heart of the Sunni-dominated areas in northern Iraq, where the militants have swallowed large swathes of land since 10 June. Along with a nearby power plant, the refinery supplies Iraq with a third of its refined fuel and nearly a tenth of its electricity, according to analysts. Al-Moussawi also confirmed that US military advisers and special operations forces had arrived in Baghdad and were assessing the Iraqi forces in an effort to strengthen Baghdad's ability to confront the insurgency. The government of Iraq's Shiite prime minister Nouri al-Maliki is struggling to repel advances led by ISIL militants, a well-trained and mobile force thought to have some 10-thousand fighters and allies inside Iraq. The insurgency has also drawn support from disaffected Sunnis who are angry over perceived mistreatment and random detentions by the Shiite-led government. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...