Falluja Civilians Starving as 27 Are Killed in Iraq

U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said that the United States will commit more money to the fight against the Islamic State militants and, possibly, more troops.

Villagers are reporting civilian deaths in U.S. airstrikes that the U.S. military has not yet counted as such.

Authorities in Falluja say that civilians are running out of food and other necessities, while hospital is running out of medical supplies. Preparations for the battle to recapture the city are proving more difficult than that of Ramadi.

Kurdish President Massoud Barzani has called for a non-binding referendum on Kurdish independence. Kurdistan’s finances, however, are so poor that Peshmerga fighters are abandoning the fight against the Islamic State over unpaid wages.

At least 27 were killed and 18 were wounded:

A bomb near a Madaen restaurant killed two people and wounded nine more.

In Baghdad, a bomb targeting a police patrol killed one member and wounded four more.

Five civilians were wounded in Badush when militants blew up several homes belonging to policemen.

Tribal fighters liberated Kdelh village in the Makhmour area.

Security forces killed a military commander and six aides in Albu Shejil.

In Tal Afar, airstrikes killed six militant leaders.

Peshmerga forces killed four militants in Ba’Shiqah.

Three prominent militants were killed during a failed attack at the Alas oil field.

Two militants were killed during clashes in Khalidiya. An airstrike killed a mufti.

Unidentified gunmen killed a Daesh wali in Ayadiya.

Author: Margaret Griffis

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