The ISIS offensive against Kobani began quietly, almost unnoticed in the international press, last July. The siege that followed would develop into one of the most closely followed battles of the Syrian war.

A leader of Somalia's Islamic extremist group al-Shabaab with a $3m bounty on his head announced on Tuesday he has quit the insurgency and renounced violence perpetrated by the al-Qaeda-linked group.

Israeliofficials are confident that they are more than ready for whatever is thrown their way in what they believe will be an imminent Hezbollah counterattack, as the Islamic terrorist group seeks vengeance for a strike that killed 6 in a convoy.