According to civilians remaining in liberated areas of Mosul, the Islamic State militants are targeting them for death as apostates. About 100 of the most severely injured are arriving on a daily basis to a hospital in Erbil, meaning that many more are being treated and released at field hospitals. At the Wadi al-Salam cemetery in Najaf, a similar glimpse into casualties is available. There, attendees say they receive about 20 bodies a day, except during large offensives, when that amount doubles. The Iraqi government does not release casualty figures.
The International Rescue Committee suggested that troops open safe routes for civilians to escape Mosul. Not only will that help the civilians, it will make fighting less complicated for the soldiers. They also fear that supplies are quickly running out. About 73,000 refugees are now registered at camps.
Iraqi forces are assembling a special Turkmen force to fight in the city of Tal Afar, just west of Mosul. The force will contain both Sunni and Shi’ite Turkmen and should alleviate fears of sectarian issues.
Shi’ite militiamen liberated Abu Nijaylah and Tafahah. Khodeir, Toffaha, and Um Nekheila wer also captured.
At least 61 were killed and 13 were wounded:
In Mosul, seven people were wounded by shelling in Aden. Security forces killed about 50 militants.
Two children were killed and another was wounded when they set off a bomb left in a home in Jalawla.
A bomb in Husseiniya killed two people and wounded five more.
Militants are transferring about 250 kidnapped police personnel to Syria. Those moving too slowly are being executed on the spot.
A strike left seven militants dead west of Ramadi.
