At least 183 people were killed and 21 more were wounded today. Islamic State militants stormed another Yazidi town, slaughtering dozens of men. In better news, Sunnis are ready to deal with the new government that is forming in Baghdad.
Politics:
Tribal leaders in Anbar province said they would back Haider al-Abadi but only conditionally, and they already have a list of demands that will be delivered to the premier-designate through Sunni politicians. One influential leader has hinted that the tribes could be involved in fighting the Islamic State.
Many hope that these tribal fighters will be somewhat successful in fighting Islamic State militants now that Prime Minister Nouri Maliki is on his way out. During the U.S. occupation, Sunni tribesman successfully fought off the precursor to the Islamic State.
But, it was the dismantling of a Sunni protest camp in December, by Maliki, which set off the Sunni revolt. Eventually, this revolt was co-opted by the Islamic State. The Sunnis seemingly felt there was no reason to keep out these militants, and perhaps some even thought they could be useful in the revolt.
In other developments, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani expressed his belief that Iraq can now move forward.
Canadian planes are on their way to deliver arms to the Kurds.
Turkmen refugees from northern Iraq are gathering in northern Baghdad. The Turkmen minority is Iraq third largest ethnic group
Deliveries of German humanitarian aid are starting to arrive in Arbil.
Fighting:
U.S. fighters bombed locations in Rabeaa, Mahmoudiya, Telskouf, Zumer, Tal Kief, and around the Mosul Dam.
Islamic State militants stormed the Yazidi town of Kocho where they killed at least 42 men and kidnapped 80 women and children, according to a Peshmerga commander. Yazidi activists said at least 80 were killed and hundreds more were kidnapped.
Four Yazidis died in a Syrian hospital from complications due to their time on Sinjar Mountain.
Nine civilians were killed and 13 more were wounded in Hit during a mortar attack.
Shelling in Jalawla left six Peshmerga dead and three wounded.
Militants killed five civilians in Said Ahmad village.
In Mosul, airstrikes killed three civilians.
Three merchants were killed and five were wounded during shelling in Tikrit.
A militant leader was killed in Adhaim.
Clashes broke out between gunmen and tribal fighters near Ramadi. Dozens were reported killed or injured.
In Falluja, 35 militants were killed.
Twenty militants were killed in an airstrike on Barwana.
In Jurf al-Sakhar, ten militants were killed.
Security forces killed four militants in the Thar Thar region.
Three militants were killed in Sayafiya.
Militants are massing near Qara Tapa, while Peshmerga troops are trying to reclaim Saidiya and Jalawla.
