An Iraqi woman at the center of a possible prisoner exchange between the Islamic State militants, Jordan, and Japan has deep ties not only to the militant group but also to the Awakening Councils (Sahwa) that fought against anti-government forces during the long U.S. occupation of Iraq. Sajida al-Rishawi is being held in Jordan after she failed to detonate a suicide vest during an attack in Amman in 2005.
Separately, the families of 17 Peshmerga members captured by ISIS/DAASH are asking the Kurdistan government to arrange an exchange. The militants have asked for the bodies of their fighters, not living prisoners. The kidnapping appears to be related to reports of Kurdish forces dragging the bodies of dead militants through the street of Kirkuk.
According to Iraq lawmaker Salah al-Jabouri, several politicians, including Speaker of Parliament Salim al-Jabouri, have received death threats and were instructed to stop any investigation into the deaths of 72 Sunnis, allegedly by Shi’ite militiamen in Barwana.
At least 96 people were killed, including those whose bodies were found in a mass grave, and 46 more were wounded.
In Sinjar, a mass grave containing 30 Yazidi victims was discovered. Dozens of militants were killed in a failed attack.
A suicide bomber, followed by further attacks, left seven volunteer soldiers dead and 28 wounded.
A bomb hidden in a refrigerator in Albu Hayat killed two officers and wounded two other servicemen.
In Mosul, two policemen were executed.
Two officers were executed in Dour.
In Falluja, militants executed a man whom they believe stalked and killed 21 militants over the last few weeks. Two civilians were killed for claiming to be militants.
A bomb in Taji killed one security members and wounded 14 more.
A bomb wounded two civilians in Husseiniya.
In Baghdad, a body was found in Abu Sheer. Another body was found in Jamila. Gunmen killed a civilian in Saidiya.
Security forces killed 12 militants in Abu Ghraib.
Eight militants were killed during a strike in Shurtan.
An airstrike in Badush killed the local wali and three companions.
