M.P. Muhammad Al- Khalidi, a Sunni, asked the Iraqi government to declare a state of emergency in Diyala province where lax security and sectarian tensions are creating severe problems. Shi’ite militiamen remaining in the predominantly Sunni province after the expulsion of the majority of the Islamic State militants is the source of much discontent among residents.
The head of the Sadr bloc in Parliament, M.P. Dhiaa al-Asadi, said that Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr wants to support Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, but the prime minister needs to form a new cabinet in order to rid the government of rampant corruption.
Iraqi forces are against attempting to retake desert areas near Samarra, but they are running into logistics problems.
Residents in Dohuk and Sulaymaniya were frightened by Turkish warplanes bombing suspected Kurdistan Workers Party (P.K.K.) camps. Turkey has no permission to stage such attacks.
At least 148 were killed and 37 were wounded:
In Baghdad, a police officer was shot and wounded. A bomb killed one policeman and wounded four more.
In Mosul, militants executed six people. Fifty militants were killed during airstrikes.
A bomb in Madaen killed two people and wounded eight more.
In Hawija, militants executed three people. Twenty militants were killed in an airstrike.
A roadside bomb in Mansouriya killed an intelligence officer and wound three soldiers.
In the Hamrin Hills, a lieutenant was killed and two soldiers were wounded as they attempted to defuse a bomb.
A bomb in Mahmoudiya wounded two soldiers.
A sticky bomb wounded two female doctors and their driver in Mussayab.
At least 25 militants were killed in a strike on Zankura.
In the Makhoul Mountains, security forces killed 20 militants.
Six militants were killed and 14 were wounded in an airstrike on Hit. A separate strike killed five more militants including their leader.
Shelling left eight militants dead in Tuz Khormato.
