168 Killed Across Iraq As U.S. and Militiamen Focus on Rescuing Turkmen in Amerli

As the United States considers expanding it military and humanitarian missions, at least 168 people were killed and 22 more were wounded. Most of today’s casualties were militants and reports suggest that many more militant deaths went uncounted.

The United States is considering sending humanitarian aid via airdrops to the besieged Turkmen town of Amerli. Residents have been trapped by the Islamic State militants there for weeks and are running out of supplies. Militiamen from the Badr Corps and Asaib Ahl al-Haq are gathering in nearby Tuz Khormato for a chance to break the siege themselves.

Meanwhile, there are still Yazidis in need on Mount Sinjar where U.S. airdrops stopped on August 13. There are different estimates, but it appears several thousand refugees are still on the mountain.

A mortar attack on a police station in Habaniya left seven dead and two wounded, including civilians.

Six people were killed in a booby-trapped home near Ramadi. Two of the victims were relatives of former Sahwa leader Sheikh Ahmed Abu Risha.

Shelling in Falluja left three civilians dead and seven wounded. Security forces killed five militants.

A tribal leader and two guards were shot dead in Kirkuk.

A sniper killed an employee of the health department in Rabeaa.

In Baghdad, a kidnapping victim was rescued.

Airstrikes in Salah ad Din province killed 75 militants and wounded eight more near the towns of al-Saiyad, Albu Ridha, Amerli, Habash, Sarha, Suleiman Bek, and Yengejeh.

Security forces in al-Sger killed 18 militants.

In Duluiya, 13 militants were killed when a suicide belt accidentally exploded among them. Tribal fighters killed another 14 militants, while five security members were wounded.

Seven militants were killed near Tikrit.

Security forces in Haditha sank three boats, killing seven militants on them.

Four militants were killed during an operation in Alam.

A number of militants were killed during airstrikes in Bashiqa.

Missile strikes in Latifiya killed many militants.

Author: Margaret Griffis

Margaret Griffis is a journalist from Miami Beach, Florida and has been covering Iraqi casualties for Antiwar.com since 2006.