Militias take lead in campaign to reverse IS gains

Iraq's Shiite paramilitaries said on Tuesday they had taken charge of the campaign to drive the Islamic State group from the western province of Anbar, giving the operation an openly sectarian code name that could infuriate its Sunni Muslim population.

The United States described the code name as "unhelpful", while France, which will host a meeting of nations fighting Islamic State next week, accused the Shiite-led government of failing to fully represent the interests of all Iraqis.

The Iraqi government is scrambling to reverse the fall of Ramadi, its biggest military setback in nearly a year. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has vowed to recapture the city, the Anbar provincial capital, within days.