Militants Blow-up Christian Homes; 84 Killed in Iraq

Progress in Ramadi may have temporarily stalled on Thursday as security forces slowed their advances in order to clear booby traps and protect civilians. Snipers are also holding them back. However, at least 27 Coalition airstrikes were launched to dislodge Islamic State militants the last district the militants are holding firmly. The militants in turn claimed to have killed dozens of soldiers, but those casualties have not been confirmed.

At least 84 were killed and 49 were wounded:

In Ramadi, one security member was killed and seven more were wounded in fighting. Security forces killed at least eight militants and seven suicide bombers.

The hospital in Abu Ghraib received 22 wounded security personnel, presumably from Ramadi.

A blast in Mahmoudiya killed two people and wounded eight more.

In Baghdad, a bomb killed five people in Sabaa al-Bour and wounded at least six more.

A policeman was wounded in Jurf al-Sakhar as he tried to disarm a bomb.

An unspecified number of civilians were wounded in Tal Keif after militants blew up several homes belonging to Christians and a nunnery.

Thirty militants were killed in Falluja.

In Mosul, an airstrike killed 11 militants, including a minister of finance.

Fourteen militants were killed and five were wounded when roadside bombs exploded in Baaj.

Security forces killed a militant explosives expert in Samarra, as well as another important militant. More militants were reported dead as well in that operation. Four more militants were killed in a separate operation.

Author: Margaret Griffis

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