More Albu Nimr Tribe Members Executed; 202 Killed Across Iraq

At least 202 people were killed and eight were wounded. Among the wounded is Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The nature of his injuries remains unknown. No major attacks took place against civilians on Sunday, leading to the low number of injuries. However, another massive execution of Albu Nimr tribe members was reported.

Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Abadi has confirmed that an airstrike near Mosul on Friday night injured Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and killed his deputy. A spokesman for ISIS/DAASH reported the injuries.

Although Islamic State militants have been run out of Jurf al-Sakhar, it was at a great cost. Much of the town itself is in ruins or booby-trapped. Also, Shi’ite militiamen are accused of setting fires to "militant homes"; however, those homes belong to local Iraqis before the takeover. Some of those locals also accuse militiamen of bombing and killing them. It is not the first time the militiamen have been accused of rights violations and war crimes. Right after the victory, militiamen allegedly killed many prisoners.

UNESCO is warning that the Islamic State militants are undertaking the "cultural cleansing" of minority groups from Iraq and compared the activity to "Nazi methods." Antiquities dealers and Interpol are also addressing the loss of artifacts that may net the militants as much as $200 million a year in foreign markets.

In Tikrit, a mosque memorializing the tomb of Saddam Hussein‘s father was destroyed by militants. The graves of several former officials were destroyed as well.

Militants responded to the loss of a dozen villages near Hit yesterday, by executing 70 members of the Albu Nimr tribe on Sunday.

The bodies of two prominent officials were discovered in Iskandariya. One belonged to a Babil provincial council member, the other to a judge. Both had been kidnapped two or three months earlier, but it is unclear how long they were tortured before being shot.

In Baghdad, a dumped body was found. Three militants were killed.

Gunmen killed three shepherds in Abu Saida.

Gunmen in Daquq tried to assassinate the local security chief but killed his bodyguard instead.

Militants arrested 18 policemen in Qayara.

The battle for Baiji continues with Iraq forces having taken about 50 percent of the town back. Ten militants were killed. Security forces killed an ISIS leader.

Kirkuk security officials have arrested a number of people sneaking into Kirkuk, whom they believe to be militant deserters. Some arrived with bullet wounds or other issues.

Forty militants were killed in an airstrike on Mount Makhoul.

Airstrikes in Muqdadiya left 26 militants dead.

In Mosul, 16 militants were killed in an airstrike, then another 20 in later strikes. Four doctors were taken from a hospital.

Security forces killed nine militants in Baiji.

Airstrikes in Hardaniya left eight militants dead and seven wounded.

Seven militants were killed and five were wounded in an airstrike in Sinjar.

Fierce clashes took place between Peshmerga and militant forces in Taza.

Author: Margaret Griffis

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