The Shi’ite-led government is shutting down or curtailing media outlets popular with Sunni Iraqis. The reasoning is that the outlets could inflame sectarian bloodshed. Among the targets of the campaign were the local office of al-Jazeera and TV channel al-Baghdadia.
At least 71 were killed and 88 were wounded:
Daesh militants attacked a natural gas plant in Taji and set the tanks on fire. Fourteen people were killed and at least 27 were wounded. Eight militants were killed, from either gunfire or their own suicide vests. New Zealand troops are stationed near the plant. Due to regulations, they were not able to leave the base and assist.
In Baghdad, a bomb in the Talfiya district killed two militiamen and wounded seven others. Two people were killed and nine were wounded by a blast in Rashidiya. Another four people were reported killed in bombings, and 12 more were wounded. An intelligence officer was shot dead.
A car bomb exploded in a commercial area of Latifiya, killing seven people and wounding 18 more. Two of the fatalities and four of the injured belonged to security forces.
Fourteen Peshmerga were poisoned in a chemical attack at the Makhmour front lines.
One civilian was wounded when militants shelled Khalidiya.
In Safra and Zerga, airstrikes left 17 militants dead.
Airstrikes on Makhoul killed seven militants.
Six militants were killed in strikes on Albu Obeid.
Peshmerga forces killed three suicide bombers in Sinjar.
Dozens of militants were killed in the liberation of Kanona.
