Slovenia has offered as many as 15 military trainers to the U.S.-led Coalition against the Islamic State militants. The trainers are expected to arrive in Erbil, Kurdistan sometime later in the year.
The head of the al-Zoba tribe, Sheikh Jamal al-Dhari, has formed Peace Ambassadors For Iraq (PAFI). The aim of this organization is to overcome the sectarian divide harming Iraq. The al-Zoba tribe is composed of both Sunni and Shi’ite Iraqis.
A U.S. spokesman in Iraq admitted that the U.S. military has more troops in Iraq than is being regularly reported. The United States regularly claims 3,500-3,600 troops, but Army Col. Steve Warren said he would not dispute a claim that there are 4,450 personnel currently.
Two F-16 jets were delivered to Iraq. Only six of 36 ordered jets have been delivered due to security concerns.
Iraq will construct a concrete wall and trench around Baghdad. Construction will begin in the Subaihat neighborhood to protect the capital from militants based in Falluja.
The head of the Turkmen Development bloc, Kurdistan M.P. Mona Qahwachi, said she supports a non-binding referendum on Kurdish independence. She believes other minorities, such as the Turkmen, will benefit from an independent Kurdistan.
At least 111 were killed and eight were wounded:
In Ramadi, shelling left 24 soldiers dead. Yesterday, a suicide bomber killed 18 soldiers. Thirty militants were killed in separate operations.
A bomb at a market in Tarmiya left two dead and eight wounded.
Sixty-six civilians escaped Daesh rule by fleeing Hawija and reaching Peshmerga troops. Other civilians were forced to pay militants a fee for remaining in their homes. Those that could not had to vacate them. Two civilians were killed for trying to escape.
A civilian was gunned down in Kana’an.
A bomb targeted a judge in Basra, but no casualties were reported.
Authorities say they have liberated Albu Shejil.
Militants have apparently booby-trapped all the entrances into Falluja.
An airstrike on Albu Bali killed nine militants including the nephew of Daesh leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Eleven militants were killed in Husayba.
In Taha al-Aboud, security forces killed 10 militants.
Artillery fire left four militants dead in Ba’Shiqah.
