Italian Troops Deployed to Guard Mosul Dam; 170 Killed in Iraq

On Tuesday, a U.S. general said that “Kurdish independence is on a trajectory where it is probably not if but when.” Lieutenant General Vincent Stewart is the head of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency. He went on to say that if the Kurds and the federal government in Baghdad do not reach some kind of agreement, it will lead to instability and possibly conflict. Kurdish parties are planning to hold an independence referendum in October.

Italy has deployed 500 troops to guard the Mosul Dam, which is being repaired by Italian workers. They join 1,400 Italian troops already in Iraq.

A new floating bridge was built on the Tigris River in Mosul. Such bridges were previously constructed across the river to replace the five bridges that were destroyed during operations against the Islamic State militants. Recent flooding forced their removal.

In Erbil, the first internationally sanctioned soccer game since 2013 took place. Security threats had forced a ban on the games for the last four years. Two Iraqis competed, and the game ended in a draw.

The Islamic State militants are apparently moving their Iraqi headquarters to Hawija as the recapture of Mosul becomes imminent.

At least 170 were killed and three were wounded:

Mosul, 13 civilians were executed. An airstrike killed 18 civilians and nine militants. Militants executed seven of their leaders for attempting to flee the city.

In Qayrawan, 13 militiamen were killed. Security forces killed 54 militants.

A bomb killed two army officers, including a brigadier general, in Qara Tapa. A third one was wounded.

In Baghdad, a bomb wounded two policemen.

Twenty militants were killed in Qaim.

Airstrikes and other operations left 34 militants dead in western Anbar province.

Author: Margaret Griffis

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