The first wave of US military advisors have arrived in Iraq to assist the government in fighting the insurgency from the militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).  Soon, around 300 Special Operations troops will be assigned to various locations in Baghdad and on the front lines.

US Secretary of State John Kerry is in Iraq, urging Iraq’s factions to work together – specifically asking the Kurds to once again postpone their long-held desire to break off and form their own country and back the central government in Baghdad. 

Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani has repeatedly stated the need to pursue self-determination, but did not repeat this in the room with Kerry.  Nor did he endorse Kerry’s plan to stand with Baghdad.  The Kurds’ seizure of the oil producing city of Kirkuk puts it in a better position to demand more autonomy from Baghdad.

Meanwhile, the ISIS push in Iraq’s north and west has caused a massive spike in the monthly death toll.  At least 1,075 people have been killed in fighting in Iraq during the month of June, according to the United Nations.  And the figure should be considered a minimum, because officials aren’t yet able to get an accurate count of captured Iraqi police and soldiers who were publicly executed by ISIS.