Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s reform plan appears to already have hit its first target in Baha al-Araji, who was the deputy prime minister for energy affairs. Araji resigned on Monday, apparently at the behest of Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. He has also been ordered to remain in the country to face a corruption investigation. If Sadr is behind the resignation, it could mean that Abadi’s plan has the cleric’s support.
At least 221 were killed and 162 more were wounded:
At least 51 people were killed and 80 more were wounded in a suicide blast at a market in Huwaydir, near Baquba.
Ten were killed and 45 more were wounded in a blast in a suicide bombing in Kanaan.
In Mosul, 50 people were killed in yet another reported execution. The Islamic State militants may have about 7,000 people in detention.
Eighteen civilians were killed and five were wounded during a rocket attack on Aski Mosul.
A rocket attack on Hassan Shami left 13 Peshmerga dead and three wounded.
In Ramadi, at least 37 militants were killed and 29 were wounded in fighting or airstrikes. Militants executed six of their own men.
Seventeen militants were killed in Bashiqa.
Security forces killed six militants in Khalidiya.
Six militants were killed in Albu Aitha.
In Garma, five militants were killed.
