114 Killed across Iraq on Eve of Ramadi Battle

The battle for Ramadi is drawing close. Extensive fighting has been taking place on the outskirts of the city.

Three millions pilgrims visited Samarra without a major incident. They were there to observe the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hassan Askari.

Canadian Minister of Defense Harjit Sajjan visited troops who are training security forces near the front lines in Khazar. Meanwhile, Canada denied accusations that Canadian jets bombed Iraqi security personnel in last week’s friendly fire incident.

At least 114 were killed and 17 were wounded:

Airstrikes targeting an Islamic State leader in Mosul left 20 people dead; at least 12 of them were civilians. Militants executed an imam.

Two people were killed and seven were wounded in a blast in Taji.

In Baghdad, a sticky bomb on a policeman’s personal car left one dead and three wounded, all off-duty policemen.

A bomb wounded four people in Mahmoudiya.

Security forces in Falluja killed 53 militants.

In Samarra, security forces killed 19 militants.

Ten militants were killed and three were wounded in Qayara.

In Baaj, militants executed six of their leaders who were trying to flee to Syria.

A security operation in Saniya left two militants dead.

Author: Margaret Griffis

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