Iraq announced the launching of a major operation to liberate Anbar province. The operation began Monday morning and involves government troops, Shi’ite, militias, local police, and tribal fighters. The U.S. military is supporting the operation via airstrikes.
The first four F-16 jets sold by the United States to Iraq were flown in to Balad Air Base.
At least 90 were killed and 12 were wounded:
In Qara Dag, a pilot was injured when his helicopter crashed due to a technical problem.
A bomb in Balad Ruz killed one civilian and wounded another.
Five civilians were executed in Shirqat for not cooperating with militants.
Thirty militants were killed during an attack in Kirkuk.
An airstrike in Albu Hayat left 29 militants dead and five wounded.
Sixteen leading militants were killed in Katyusha rockets strikes in Mosul.
Nine militants were killed in Garma.
In Falluja, five suicide bombers were killed in a counterattack.
An airstrike killed several militants in al-Baghdadi.
