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ByVivianSalama The Associated Press BAGHDAD IraqiandKurd- ish forces recaptured Iraq's largest dam from Islamic militants Monday following dozens of U.S. airstrikes, President Barack Obama said, in the first major de- feat for the extremists since they swept across the coun- try this summer. Militants from the Islamic State group had seized the Mosul Dam on Aug. 7, giv- ing them access and control of enormous power and wa- ter reserves and threaten- ing to deny those resources to much of Iraq. Iraqi forces suffered a string of humiliating de- feats at the hands of the Is- lamic State as the extrem- ists took over large parts of northern and western Iraq and sent religious minori- ties fleeing. The militants' battlefield victories brought U.S. forces back into the conflict for the first time since it with- drew its troops in 2011 and reflected the growing in- ternational concern about the Sunni extremist group. Washington launched at- tacks from its warplanes and drones on Aug. 8. Pope Francis endorsed the use of force to stop the Islamic militants from at- tacking religious minor- ities in Iraq, although he said the international com- munity — not just one coun- try — should decide how to intervene. Obama called recaptur- ing the dam by Iraqi and Kurdish forces a "major step forward" in the battle against Islamic State mili- tants. Had the dam been breached, it could have had catastrophic conse- quences and endangered U.S. Embassy personnel in Baghdad, Obama said at the White House. He said the U.S. is urgently provid- ing arms and assistance to Iraqi security forces as well as Kurdish fighters fighting the extremists. There were conflicting statements throughout the day from the Kurdish com- manders, the Iraqi military in Baghdad, the Pentagon and the militants of the Is- lamic State group over who was in control of the strate- gic 2.1-mile dam that spans the Tigris River. Completed in 1986 under Saddam Hus- sein, it includes a sprawling complex with power gener- ators, offices and employee housing. The southern end is mostly reserved for hous- ing and offices. Before Obama spoke, Kurdish forces spokesman Halgurd Hekmat said the peshmerga regained full control of the dam and its surrounding facilities fol- lowing two days of fierce clashes. But Iraq's De- fense Ministry said secu- rity forces only "liberated a large part of the Mo- sul Dam" with the help of U.S. airstrikes, adding that forces had not freed the en- tire complex. Iraqi army spokesman Lt. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi said at least 170 bombs have been dismantled around the dam but many more re- main. He added that mili- tants fled to areas near the south of the complex, hid- ing in homes and offices on the premises. The Islamic State group denied it had lost control of the facility, saying on a web- site frequently used by the militants that the Iraqi gov- ernment claim was a "mere propaganda war." The U.S. Central Com- mand said it carried out 15 airstrikes near the dam Monday with fighter jets, bombers and drones. There were 25 U.S. airstrikes on Saturday and Sunday, it said. The Obama administra- tion has also agreed to sup- ply peshmerga forces with light weapons and ammu- nition, as have the French. The moves may provide Iraqi forces with a signifi- cant morale boost as they try to retake territory over- run by the Islamic State this summer. Some 1.5 million peo- ple have been displaced by fighting in Iraq since the Islamic State's rapid ad- vance began in June. The scale of the humanitarian crisis prompted the U.N. to declare its highest level of emergency lasts week. WORLD Obama:Iraqforcesretake major dam from militants HADIMIZBAN—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS An Iraq Shiite fighter runs during clashes with militants from the extremist Islamic State group in Jurf al-Sakhar, 43miles south of Baghdad, Iraq, on Monday. By Mohammed Daraghmeh The Associated Press CAIRO Egypt late Monday announced a 24-hour ex- tension in talks between Israel and the Hamas mil- itant group aimed at sal- vaging a long-term ar- rangement that would al- low reconstruction of the Gaza Strip following a monthlong war that killed more than 2,000 people. The announcement came just minutes be- fore a temporary truce was set to expire at mid- night, averting a resump- tion of the fighting that has caused devastating damage across Gaza and disrupted life throughout southern Israel. "Palestinians and Israe- lis agreed on extending the cease-fire by 24 hours to continue current negoti- ations," the Egyptian gov- ernment said in a state- ment. Palestinian and Is- raeli officials confirmed they had accepted Egypt's request for an extension. Since last week, Egypt has been hosting indirect talks between Israel and Hamas aimed at ending the war. Gaza Health Ministry official Ashraf al-Kidra said Monday the death toll from the fighting had jumped to over 2,000 Pal- estinians, the majority of them civilians, while U.N. officials, who often take more time to verify fig- ures, put the number at 1,976. Thousands of homes were destroyed, and tens of thousands of people re- main huddled in U.N. shel- ters. Israel lost 67 people, all but three of them sol- diers. Egyptian mediators shuttled between the sides Monday, but gaps appeared to remain wide. Hamas is demanding an end to a seven-year Israeli- Egyptian blockade of Gaza that has devastated the lo- cal economy. Israel wants guarantees that Hamas, which fired thousands of rockets into Israel during the fighting, will be dis- armed. In an apparent at- tempt to pressure Hamas, Egypt said early Monday it would co-host an inter- national fundraising con- ference for Gaza, but only if a deal is reached. Israel, meanwhile, said in recent months it had arrested nearly 100 Hamas oper- atives in the West Bank in an alleged plot to top- ple Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The Gaza blockade, im- posed after Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007, remains the main stum- bling block. It has greatly limited the movement of Palestinians in and out of the territory of 1.8 million people, restricted the flow of goods into Gaza and blocked virtually all ex- ports. Israel says the block- ade is needed to prevent arms smuggling, but crit- ics say the measures have amounted to collective punishment. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Ne- tanyahu already said this week he would not allow Hamas to win a diplomatic victory at the negotiating table. An Egyptian compro- mise proposal has called for an easing of the block- ade to allow more move- ment of goods and peo- ple in and out of Gaza. Although it would not dis- arm Hamas, it would give Abbas, whose forces were routed by Hamas in the 2007 takeover, a foothold back in Gaza and put him in charge of border cross- ings and internationally backed reconstruction ef- forts. Larger issues, includ- ing Israel's calls for disar- mament and Hamas de- mands to reopen Gaza's sea and airports, would be left for later talks. GAZA Egypt: No deal yet on cease-fire, more talks Landscape/Fence Steve's Tractor &LandscapeService •FenceBuilding•Landscaping • Trenching • Rototilling • Disking • Mowing • Ridging • Post Hole Digging • Blade Work • Sprinkler Installation • Concrete Work Cont. 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