At least 109 people were killed today, and another 148 were wounded. A large clash between Peshmerga forces and Islamic State militants near Kirkuk left many casualties, as did bombs in Baghdad.
Politics:
Kurdish authorities tested transporting oil from the newly acquired Bai Hassan oil field into its pipeline system. It did not go smoothly, but they will try again tomorrow.
Iranian Gen. Ghasem Soleimani apparently has become the top commander of Iraq’s ragtag army and volunteer forces. He works alongside 120 other Iranian advisors, who belong to the Revolutionary Guard’s Quds Force.
Authorities in Mosul accused the Islamic State of destroying more than 6,000 texts that were housed in public and private libraries. Some of the texts were part of Iraq’s cultural heritage. Similar activity has been documented in Syria as well.
Fighting:
A Kurdish commander was wounded, along with six bodyguards, when militants attacked them near Kirkuk. The casualty numbers from the previously reported clash increased since yesterday. The fighting left another two Peshmerga dead and 25 more wounded. Twenty gunmen were also killed, and another 45 were wounded.
In Baghdad, an Australian suicide bomber killed five people and wounded 37 more near a Shi’ite mosque in Shorja.
Another suicide blast, this one in Taji, left six dead and 18 wounded.
Fighting left two security members dead and 11 more were wounded near Baquba.
In Amerli, militants killed one soldier, but 15 militants also died in clashes.
The bodies of 10 people killed execution-style were found in Muqdadiya. Six militants were killed.
One civilian was killed and five more were wounded during air strikes in Rashidiya.
Gunmen killed three soldiers in al-Segar.
In al-Shortan, security forces killed 19 militants.
Eight militants were killed in Tikrit.
In Hawija, local authorities blew up a police station, killing seven militants.
Security forces in Hit killed two suicide bombers.
Barwana was liberated.
