The fight to win back Ramadi appears to have been launched without much help from the Iraqi army. Some army, police, and tribal forces have been deployed, but it appears that most of the fighters are Shi’ite militiamen. Husaybah has already been retaken.
Anbar’s governor, Suhaib Ismail, has called on Prime Minster Haider al-Abadi to open a safe corridor for refugees to flee towards Kurdistan.
At least 171 were killed and 19 were wounded:
Three Yazidi boys were reported killed fighting for the Islamic State militants after being captured and brainwashed.
In Baghdad, gunmen killed a civilian.
Security forces killed 60 militants in the Hawija area.
About 40 militants were killed in Sinjar.
In Haditha, 25 militants were killed during a failed attack.
Airstrikes left 16 militants dead near Qayara.
Eleven militants were killed and eight were wounded in airstrikes near Tal Afar.
Airstrikes on Khalidiya left six militants dead and eight wounded.
At the Alas airfield, three militants were killed and three more were wounded in a failed attack.
Militants have been damaging or destroying parts of the Baiji refinery. Clashes there are ongoing. Three militants were killed.
Three suicide bombers were killed at the al-Waleed border crossing with Syria.
