Iraq, Nagorno-Karabakh, Mali.

Today's three stories you should know.

Iraq

Horrible news out of Iraq today. At least 120 people have died after a fire swept through a wedding in the north of the country. Civil Defense said the cause of the blaze may have been the use of fireworks in the hall. Funerals have already started taking place and officials say the death toll could rise. Early reports indicate flammable material may have been used in the construction of the wedding venue.

More from Middle East Eye here.

Nagorno-Karabakh

A startling stat from Nagorno-Karabakh. More than a third of its 120,000-strong ethnic Armenian population has fled into Armenia after Azerbaijani forces took control of the enclave, according to Armenian authorities. Many Armenian residents say they fear ethnic cleansing now that it is under Azeri control. While internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh’s population is overwhelmingly Armenian. The neighbors have previously fought two wars over the region.

More from Al Jazeera here.

Mali

An armed group linked to al-Qaeda says it is in control of an army base in the Malian city of Timbuktu, a claim denied by the military. The group, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, has carried out several recent attacks in the region. Mali has for years been one of several governments in the Sahel region battling groups with links to al-Qaeda and ISIS. The country’s military rulers, who took power in a coup, in June abruptly ordered a 13,000-member force of UN peacekeepers to leave the country.

More from BBC here.