For the first time, western troops met Islamic State (IS) militants in a ground battle.  Canadian Special Forces came under mortar and machine gun fire while training Iraqi troops near the front lines, and the fired back.

“My troops had completed a planning session with senior Iraqi leaders several kilometers behind the front lines,” said Brigadier General Michael Rouleau, adding that it was “the first time we've taken fire and returned fire” in Iraq.  The Brigadier says no Canadians were injured.

Islamic State released a video showing two Japanese hostages that the group is threatening to kill unless it receives a ransom of US$200 Million in the next 72 hours.  They’re identified as Haruna Yukawa, a private military company operator in his early 40s who was kidnapped in Syria; and Kenji Goto Jogo, a Japanese freelance journalist who went to report on Syria's civil war last year.

The figure that Islamic State is demanding is not arbitrary.  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is in the region visiting several Mideast countries, and has pledged US$200 Million in non-military backing for countries fighting IS.