Bombers resumed their campaign in Baghdad where at least six bombs were detonated today. Overall, at least 50 people were killed and 92 more were wounded, mostly civilians.
Politics:
Iraq President Jalal Talabani is back in Iraq after spending 18 months in Germany, receiving medical treatment for a major stroke.
Tensions continue between Baghdad and neighboring Jordan despite apologies from the Jordanian government for allowing a meeting to take place involving 11 Iraqi Sunni groups, including the old Ba’ath Party.
With assurances of safety from Peshmerga members, a centuries-old Christian city, Bakhdida, is seeing its residents return home after threats from the Islamic State.
Nineveh’s governor, Atheel Nujaifi, warned that Islamic State militants have left Mosul to fight further south, and the Naqshabandiya Army has replaced them.
Fighting:
Iraq military spokesman Lt.-Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi denied reports of a major defeat in the battle for Tikrit. Moussawi admits to fighting but says that Camp Speicher remains in Iraqi hands. Kurdish authorities suggested some of the details witnesses reported were likely incorrect, particularly the number of Iranian troops. Witnesses say that hundreds of troops were killed or captured.
In Baghdad, a suicide bomber killed nine people and wounded 21 more at an Abu Dsheer checkpoint. A roadside bomb killed one person in Saidiya. Three coordinated bombs and another blast took place in Bayaa, Jihad, Kadhimiya. The Bayaa bomb killed two people and wounded 13 more. In the Jihad bombing, five people were wounded. Five people were killed and 17 more were wounded in the Kadhimiya bombing. Three people were killed and 15 more were wounded in a second Kadhimiya bombing. At least nine more people were reported killed.
Shelling in Falluja left seven dead and 13 wounded.
Militants wounded four soldiers in Jurf al-Sakhar.
In Muqdadiya, a bomb killed a policeman and wounded four more. Eleven militants were killed during a security operation.
A councilman was assassinated in Faw.
