Leaders from the Turkmen minority group accused the Kurdish Regional Government of using the Islamic State crisis to further its own nationalistic goals. A trench currently being dug through hundreds of miles of Iraqi territory is meant to strengthen territorial claims, say the Turkmen. The Kurds say it is their right to protect themselves from Daesh, and this trench will stop suicide bombers.
A U.S. airstrike targeted a “cash distribution site” in Mosul. Although officials do not know how much money was being held at the militant bank, they suspect it may have been in the millions. The belief is that the strike will disrupt the militant’s financial network and significantly hurt operations.
Entire families continue to flee starvation and Daesh in Hawija. With security forces drawing closer, the families appear to be gaining confidence they can successfully escape.
Christian forces said they are ready to fight in Nineveh province, as Canon Andrew White warned of the genocide of Christians in Iraq and Syria.
At least 229 were killed and 131 were wounded:
In Baghdad, a multiple suicide attack on the Jawaher shopping mall in the Baghdad al-Jadida district left 19 dead and 48 wounded, including civilians and security personnel. Authorities denied earlier reports that hostages had been taken, but the militants did follow their victims inside and shot them.
Seven people were killed and 15 were wounded in a blast in Baghdad’s Nahrawan district. A roadside bomb in Bawiya wounded two more. Security forces killed four militants in separate operations.
At least 24 people were killed and 52 were wounded when a suicide bomber attacked Shi’ite militiamen stationed near a recreational casino in Muqdadiya. A car bomb then blasted first responders who had gathered. Several homes were also set on fire. Three mosques were destroyed.
In Khanaqin, an Iranian research team exhuming graves believed to contain the remains of Iranian soldiers killed during the 1980-88 war with Iraq succumbed to a booby trap left at the grave site. One researcher was killed and another was wounded. Last night a roadside bomb wounded three militiamen. A separate bomb wounded two more people.
Militants executed eight security personnel in Mosul. Nineteen militants were killed in strikes to the north.
A bomb in Baquba killed three people and wounded eight more.
Militants executed three intelligence officers in Qayara.
Security forces killed 70 militants in al-Sha’i, near Barwana.
Over 40 militants were killed in strikes on Ramadi.
In Tharthar, 16 militants were killed.
Six militants were killed in Falluja.
Unidentified gunmen killed four militants in Kokjli.
An airstrike in Dibs killed four militants including one of their leaders.
