Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the Iraqi government will be issuing bonds soon to help with the budget shortfall. He also expects help from the International Monetary Fund.
If the Islamic State militants are not defeated quickly, it could spell the end of Aramaic as a living language.
At least 290 were killed and 72 were wounded.
Militants took over a number of villages in the Ramadi area. At least 10 people, two of them civilians, were killed in Albu Ghanim. Witnesses saw bodies in the streets and fear that the militants killing many more. The towns of Albu Khalifa, Sofia, and Sor were also captured. The deputy chairman of Anbar’s provincial council fears that Ramadi will fall soon.
Militants are hiding among the oil tanks at the refinery in Baiji, making it difficult to assault them. A suicide bomber killed 16 refinery workers. Nine militants were also killed. About 70 militants were killed in airstrikes. Also, 13 policemen were killed, including a general, and five more bombers were reported.
In Baghdad, a bomb killed six people and wounded 11 in Jisr Diyala. A bomb in Husseiniya wounded four people. Two Sahwa members were killed in a roadside blast. One person was killed and nine were were wounded by a blast in Wajiriya.
Airstikes in Mosul killed 12 militants and wounded 35 more. Another strike north of the city killed 20 militants.
In Albu Jawari and Saniya, airstrikes killed 45 militants.
Two soldiers were killed and two were wounded by a blast in Saidiya.
In Baquba, gunmen killed one civilian and wounded two more.
Security forces in Garma killed 42 militants.
A militant leader was killed in al-Fateha.
In Qaim, airstrikes left 34 militants dead and 19 more wounded.
