Although the focus remains on Turkish and Iranian bombardment of Iraqi Kurdistan, deadly violence took place further south. In particular, Anbar province was the scene of several attacks. Overall, at least nine Iraqis were killed and 39 more were wounded across the country.
Iraqi Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Mohammed Jawad al-Dorki met with theTurkish Ambassador to Iraq, Murat Özçelik, to lodge a formal protest over recent Turkish air strikes in the northern Kurdish region. Baghdad called on Turkey to immediately cease its cross-border operations against the Kurdistan Workers Party (P.K.K.), but Iraq has little power to force those demands, particularly when Turkey is one of the country’s most important investors.
The meeting comes only days after the United States publicly supported Turkey’s right to self-defense, signaling that U.S. forces will not participate in any defensive maneuvers. The parliament of the Kurdish Autonomous Region, where the bombardment is focused, is expected to issue its own proclamation soon and, separately, a Kurdish delegation is in Tehran to discuss Iranian operations.
Turkey has been conducting this round of air strikes since Aug. 17 when the P.K.K. took responsibility for a deadly attack on Turkish soldiers. Attacks between the P.K.K. and Turkish forces have been occurring for decades, particularly in the summer months. Even today, two Turkish soldiers were wounded during a blast blamed on the rebels.
Iran, meanwhile, has been conducting its own deadly operations against P.K.K. offshoot Party For A Free Life For Kurdistan (P.J.A.K.) since early July. Hundreds in Iraqi Kurdistan have fled the bombardments, but at least one family was killed while trying to escape Turkish shelling.
Two suicide bombers struck in Garma where they left three policemen dead and four others wounded.
A soldier was killed and three others were wounded during a bombing in Saqlawiya.
Seven people were wounded when homes were demolished in Haditha.
In Baghdad, a car bomb exploded on Palestine Street, killing one person and wounding 15 others, including 10 soldiers. One person was killed and two others were wounded in an Amiriya blast.
A bullet-riddled body was found in a Baquba orchard. A roadside bomb blasted a U.S. patrol, but no casualties were reported.
On a road near Qaim, a roadside bomb targeting an army major general killed his driver and wounded two bodyguards.
In Falluja, a blast killed a soldier and wounded two others. At least two other people were reported wounded in this or a separate attack.
A roadside bomb at a Mosul checkpoint wounded a soldier. Thirteen suspects were arrested.
In Kirkuk, a rocket wounded a man when it landed on his home.
Two suspects in possession of a suicide vest were arrested in Hibhib.
No casualties were reported after a bomb exploded near a U.S. patrol in Riyadh.
Twelve suspects were arrested in Rashad.
