The top news today is that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has given up the fight to remain in his post. That did not stop the fighting. At least 245 people were killed and 62 more were wounded.
Politics:
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced that he would no longer seek a third term as premier and would throw his support behind the prime minister-designate, Haider al-Abadi. He remains caretaker prime minister until Abadi is able to form the new government.
Airstrikes will continue, according to U.S. President Barack Obama, even though the humanitarian emergency appears to be over.
The governor of Anbar Province, Ahmed Khalaf al-Dulaimi, revealed that U.S. forces have promised military support, including airstrikes, for Anbar province.
British Special Air Service Forces have been in Iraq for several weeks assessing the situation and working with U.S. troops.
The United States is encouraging European countries to sell arms to the Kurds. The Netherlands is looking into providing arms to Kurdish and Iraqi troops.
Although most Yazidis may be off Sinjar Mountain, among those that remain are the elderly, the disabled, or others who are unable to make the trek off the mountain. Five of them died of dehydration overnight. A Yazidi lawmaker, who is in the hospital recovering from a helicopter crash that occurred on the mountain during rescue operations, insists that there are many in need still there. The United Nations backs her claim. Vian Dakhil suggests that U.S. forces visited the easily navigable northern side of the mountain ridge, while the problem areas are on the southern side.
Fighting:
U.S. airstrikes continued today.
Twelve dumped bodies were recovered in Tikrit.
In Baghdad, mortars strikes killed two civilians and wounded five more in Sabaa al-Bour.
Four policemen were shot dead by militants in Diyala province.
A bomb near Baquba killed five Peshmerga members and wounded 13 more.
In Hawija, airstrikes left 19 militants dead and 20 more wounded.
Airstrikes in Qadisiya and Thawra left 15 civilians dead and 17 wounded.
Airstrikes in Duluiya killed 15 militants. Mortars wounded three civilians.
Iraqi airstrikes left 71 militants dead in Barwana.
In Mosul, 20 militants died in an airstrike.
Seventeen militants were killed during an airstrike in Baiji.
Fourteen militants were killed in Jalawla.
In Haditha, 11 militants were killed.
Airstrikes in Jurf al-Sakhar left 10 militants dead. Security forces killed 27 more during other operations. Four volunteer fighters were wounded.
In Adhaim, clashes left eight militants dead.
Five leading militants were killed in Shirqat.
Two militants were killed in a U.S. airstrike in Sinjar.
Militants are massing near Qara Tapa, perhaps as a prelude to a renewed push on Kurdistan.
Airstrikes also occurred in Falluja, Garma, al-Siger and al-Dhabti.
Security forces in Meshahda killed a number of militants.
