At least 97 people were killed; about half of them were civilians. Another 122 people were wounded as Baghdad suffered a series of bombings today.
Military forces declared the town of Baiji liberated. Joint Iraqi, Peshmerga and Shi’ite militiamen fought for months to liberate the city and are in the final stages of retaking the refinery just outside of town. That refinery was the largest in Iraq before the Islamic State took over the city. Other sources say the militants are still in control of the city. At the very least, the city is filled with bombs and booby-traps making access difficult. At least 17 militants were killed.
Now that Peshmerga forces have liberated Bakufa, a Christian militia patrols the Assyrian village and hopes their families can return home soon.
In Baghdad, five bombings killed 38 people and wounded about 100 more. Among those blasts: five people were killed and 20 were wounded in al-Qaiat. In Adhamiya, three people were killed and nine were wounded in a blast. Another nine people were killed and 34 were wounded in Waziriya. Also, a militant was killed.
Near Tikrit University, a suicide tank bomber killed 15 soldiers and wounded five more.
Shelling killed a woman and a child and also wounded seven others in Falluja.
A roadside bomb in Fadhiliya wounded five soldiers.
In Ramadi, security forces killed a tanker bomber.
Militants arrested 22 tribal elders in Qayara and Shura.
Fifteen militants were killed in a battle that retook the village of al-Wahaj.
Near the Adhaim Dam, four militants were killed.
Three militant were killed and five were wounded in an explosion at a bomb-making workshop in Jalawla.
Airstrikes killed a number of people in Daquq.
