At least 251 people were killed across Iraq and another 39 were wounded in fresh violence. Bombing took place in Baghdad, but mostly the bloodshed was due to the ISIS/DAASH invasion. These numbers may be low. Several reports of deaths and injuries did not give actual figures. Two of the militant groups were fighting amongst themselves today.
Politics:
The Islamic Army of Iraq, a militant group fighting alongside ISIS/DAASH, has warned that it will storm Baghdad if Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is not removed. One of the founders said the group is not as extreme as ISIS, but they do have the common goal of ousting Maliki’s regime, which the spokesman referred to as an Iranian occupation. They want Iraq partitioned.
Sunni fighters residing in Baghdad wait for their chance to fight, but they might not like the end results.
About 20,000 Shi’ite militiamen paraded in Sadr City, Amara, and Basra. For many, this chillingly recalled the former Mahdi Army. A cleric loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr, who was the Mahdi Army’s spiritual leader, threatened the U.S. advisors heading to Iraq and called them "occupiers".
Peshmerga forces, which is made up of seasoned fighters, seem bewildered at the number of militants that keep arriving.
With the border between Syria and Iraq mostly erased thanks to ISIS, Shi’ite militiamen who left Iraq to fight alongside the Syrian army against Sunni militants are now easily returning home to fight many of the same insurgents.
U.S. President Barack Obama cautioned that any U.S. military help in Iraq will be pointless if the Iraqi government does not end its sectarian approach.
Russia has offered to help the Iraqi government.
Authorities believe that the militants will now target the Haditha Dam, the second largest in Iraq. Its capture could endanger water supplies further south and even shut down the electrical grid across Iraq. When militants seized the Falluja Dam earlier this year, they flooded nearby fields and streets. Tribal fighters are supporting military reinforcements.
Militants are attacking al-Waleed, which is the only border crossing still under Iraqi government control. Syrian air forces crossed the border to bomb them. The fighters were already on a campaign to bomb militants across the border in Syria.
Fighting:
Fighting erupted between ISIS/DAASH militants and members of the Naqshabandiya Army near Himreen. The two groups have been fighting side-by-side and it is unclear was caused the infighting. At least 17 people were killed. One Naqshabandiya leader was kidnapped.
The morgue in Tikrit received the bodies of 84 people who were government workers or security personnel.
In Jurf al-Sakhar, 35 militants were killed.
The Iraqi military said that 32 militants were killed during an eight-hour battle in which Mutassim and Wehdat were recovered.
Nine foreign militants were killed during air strikes at the former presidential palaces in Tikrit.
Iraqi troops appear to be losing the battle for the oil refinery in Baiji. About 200 men are completely surrounded and have no means of escape. The militants control the road to the city of Baiji as well, so reinforcements and supplies are unlikely to arrive any time soon. However, an Iraqi military spokesman gave conflicting information and said that the militants were "eliminated."
One policeman was executed in the city of Baiji itself. Two militants were killed.
In Baghdad and Sadr City, at least seven people were killed and 32 were wounded in separate bombings. In Zaafaraniya, two men were found dead and handcuffed. Ten militants were killed within the province.
Four Peshmerga fighters were wounded during heavy battles in the Kirkuk region yesterday.
Sometime this week, mortars in Tal Afar severely maimed two women from the same Turkmen family and killed a 10-year-old girl. Another 60 Turkmen were arrested and believed executed. Battles took place today.
In Baquba, mortars killed three people, including a civilian, and wounded a policeman. Fifteen militants were killed near town.
Clashes in Diyala province left one soldier dead and dozens of other security personnel wounded.
One person was killed and three more were wounded by an I.E.D. in Muqdadiya. A sniper killed a police major.
Security forces killed six militants in Adhaim.
Three militants were killed in Jalawla.
Rawah was captured overnight. The mayor said government offices were ransacked.
Ana also fell.
As did Husbaya.
Sporadic clashes took place in Qaim.
A large number of militants were killed near Samarra.
A militant planner was killed near Tal Kief.
In Ramadi, clashes took place.
Fifteen militants were killed in Falluja.
Security forces killed five gunmen on a highway in Babel province.
