At least 1,094 civilians and security forces were killed during May. This figure is only an estimate as many of the casualties occurred behind the lines in the Ramadi area. Another 640 were wounded, but this figure must be significantly lower than the actual number. Antiwar.com also compiled reported casualty figures for militant forces. At least 2,983 were killed and 257 were wounded. These numbers were generally reported by the Iraqi government and subject to their biases. On the other hand, comparatively few security figure casualty numbers are released, even though they are being killed and wounded in great numbers.
Together, at least 4,077 were killed and 897 were wounded. Those are lower figures than for April, before the fall of Ramadi, which is unlikely.
Prime minister Haider al-Abadi announced the future participation of the Shi’ite militias in the liberation of Mosul. The Kurds have rejected the use of the militias, but it is unclear if that would stop the Peshmerga from cooperating in the upcoming battles. The timetable for the operation has not been released, and the fall of Ramadi is thought to have delayed the launch.
At least 90 were killed and 10 were wounded in recent violence:
A video showing the immolation of a Sunni man in Anbar province, while Shi’ite militiamen laugh nearby, is circulating on social media. The authenticity of the video has not been verified, but the victim is believed to be an Islamic State militant.
Three children were injured during a chlorine bomb attack in al-Baghdadi.
A bomb in Jurf al-Sakhar injured four policemen.
Gunmen injured a man in Kirkuk.
Forty militants were killed in Garma.
Sixteen militants were killed in Badush.
In Falluja, 13 militants were killed. A militant leader may have been among them.
Twelve militants were killed and 10 more were wounded in an air strike in Hawija.
At the Alas oil fields, seven militants were killed.
A number of militants were killed in Khalidiya.
