Parliament was able to begin forming the new government today; however, there is still much to do before it can function. Meanwhile, at least 233 people were killed, mostly militants, and 185 were wounded, mostly civilians and security volunteers.
Politics:
Lawmakers were able to break through an impasse and elected Salim al-Jabouri as their new speaker. He received almost 60 percent of the votes, but it is unclear if any deals were brokered to gain those votes. Bickering about who would become his Shi’ite deputy began almost immediately, but an ally of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Haidar al-Abadi, was eventually selected. Aram al-Sheikh Mohammed was chosen to be the Kurdish deputy. Jabouri now has two weeks to nominate a candidate for president.
Fighting:
Bombs in Sadr City killed 14 people and wounded 48 more.
Five civilians were killed and 17 were wounded during shelling in Falluja.
Barrel bombs dropped on Garma killed four people and wounded 22 more. The hospital was bombed as well and could not receive patients.
Battles to reclaim Tikrit took place today and even spread into nearby Albu Ajeel. Stray fire from helicopters killed five people, including two young girls. Yesterday, 42 civilians were kidnapped.
Two suicide car bombers struck at a restaurant between Tikrit and Samarra, where they killed 12 security forces and wounded 28 more.
Nine people were killed when bombs exploded at an army recruitment center in Madaen.
In Muqdadiya, three bodies belonging to kidnapping victims were found. Three militants were killed.
Forty volunteers were wounded during clashes in Jurf al-Sakhar
Security forces raided a home in Tal Afar where they killed a militant leader and six bodyguards.
A Saudi doctor and others were killed during an air strike in Mosul. The doctor traveled to Iraq to treat militants.
In Yusufiya, a roadside bomb killed four soldiers. A dumped body was found.
A Bangladesh-born Briton was reported killed in fighting in Ramadi. Many militants were killed during air strikes.
Security forces killed nine militants in Mansouriya.
Four militants were killed near Kirkuk while trying to steal oil.
A militant leader was killed in Baiji. At least 80 militants were killed in airstrikes.
Duluiya was liberated. Seventy militants were killed and 30 more were wounded during the clashes that led up to taking back the town.
Several militants were killed in the Hamrin Mountains.
