Iraq’s al-Maliki extends overtures to rivals

By Hamza Hendawi

Published June 18, 2014 11:07pm ET

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Iraq’s al-Maliki extends overtures to rivals — In this Tuesday, June 17, 2014 image taken from video obtained from British Broadcaster Sky, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, Kurdish soliders aim their weapons towards positions held by fighters of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant near Jalula, Iraq. Kurdish security forces are engaged in gun battles with Sunni militants in the northern Iraqi town of Jalula, according to British Broadcaster Sky. Footage showed Kurdish fighters known as peshmerga using heavy artillery and rockets to attack militant positions on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Sky via AP video) | Uncredited

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi forces and Sunni militants battled fiercely for control of the nation’s largest oil refinery on Wednesday as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki went on a diplomatic offensive, reaching out in a televised address to try to regain support from the nation’s disaffected Sunnis and Kurds.

Meanwhile, the government asserted that it had retaken partial control of a strategic city near the border with Syria.

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