BREAKING NEWS

Japan confirms detainment of Japanese journalist near Mosul

Japan's top government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, confirmed on Tuesday that Japanese journalist Kosuke Tsuneoka had been detained by Kurdish authorities near the Islamic State-held city of Mosul, where fierce fighting is taking place between Islamic State fighters and US-backed Iraqi forces.

Japanese media reported the 47-year old being taken in to custody by Kurdish Peshmerga forces, who are currently fighting alongside the Iraqi military in a US-led coalition to reclaim Mosul.

Tsuneoka was abducted and held captive for nearly five months by a militant group in Afghanistan in 2010 while covering the battle there and in Iraq in 2004.