The first Iranian casualty of war was reported killed today. He was protecting Samarra’s holy sites at the time of his death. Along with him, at least 138 other people died and 88 more were wounded.
Politics:
As part of a security overhaul, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki forcibly retired both the head of Iraq’s ground forces and the chief of the federal police. One rumored replacement for army chief is Maliki’s own son.
Former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi urged Maliki to give up his quest for a third term as premier. He feels there is still hope to keep Iraq unified…but not with Maliki at the helm.
Militants released a set of pictures documenting the destruction of ancient shrines and mosques in Mosul and Tal Afar.
Chaldean Patriarch Louis Sako, the top Christian in Iraq, asked militants to release a pair of missing nuns and three orphans accompanying them.
The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) said they would begin their retreat from Turkey in September and return back to their bases in northern Iraq.
Five Turkish guards were released after almost a month in ISIS/DAASH captivity.
Fighting:
Iran admitted to its first casualty of war in Iraq. A colonel was killed as he was protecting Shi’ite holy sites in Samarra. The colonel, who was a pilot in Iran, was not flying. It is unclear if the pilot was there on orders of the Iranian government or of his own accord. In the past, Iran has said it would not send troops, only material help, to Iraq.
In Jalawla, a roadside bomb injured two Peshmergas and three civilians. A skirmish that left two militants dead and 10 wounded followed the bombing. Last night, militants launched mortars that left two dead and six wounded; among them were women and children.
Blasts in Falluja killed six civilians and wounded seven more.
Three people were killed and eight more were wounded during a blast in Basra.
A bomb in Qara Tiba killed two civilians and wounded four more.
Two civilians were killed and four were wounded during a mortar attack on Saidiya.
In Ramadi, three soldiers were killed and four Sahwa members were wounded during an attack. Other clashes took place.
Mortars killed four policemen and wounded 19 more in Sindeej. A prominent militant leader was killed.
In Tikrit, militants killed a security officer in front of his wife. Bombs near a police commander’s home killed four children.
A sniper killed a Peshmerga major in Baquba. Several militants were killed.
In Sadr City, a bomb in al-Mudhafar Square wounded four civilians. Another wounded three more in Hamza Square.
A bomb wounded three civilians near Kirkuk. Militants kidnapped a prominent member of the Obeid tribe.
Militants kidnapped 40 civilians in Rashidiya.
Tribal fighters killed a militant leader in Rashad.
In Mansouriya, security forces killed a militant leader and two aides.
An air raid in Qaim wounded many militant leaders, possibly including the head of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
In Dali Abbas, 38 militants were killed.
Security forces reported killed 30 militants near the Baiji refinery.
Security forces said that 27 militants were killed and 13 more were wounded across Anbar province.
Five militant leaders were killed in Jurf al-Sakhar.
In Bashir, Peshmerga forces and militants clashed.
