Unsurprisingly, the battle to reclaim Fallujah has slowed amid concerns for civilians and a strong response from Islamic State militants. The battle is expected to be long and difficult.
At least 192 were killed and 139 were wounded in recent violence:
Although Baghdad has refused to release casualty figures for security forces fighting in and around Fallujah, officials elsewhere are describing significant losses. At least 70 security personnel have been buried at a cemetery in Najaf since the operation began. It is the largest cemetery in the world, and where Shi’ites prefer to bury their dead. Officials in Basra say 28 local militiamen were killed in the Fallujah fighting. Twelve security personnel from Najaf province were killed. Medics have treated at least 97 wounded.
For whatever reasons, the Iraqi government has long undercounted its casualties, and this operation appears to be no exception. A large number of civilians have also been killed, but their numbers remain uncounted. Many cannot even reach the local cemetery to bury their dead.
At Ghazlani camp, militants executed 13 people who were former army officers.
A bomb in Madaen killed two people and wounded nine more.
Two people were killed and four were wounded by a blast in Abu Ghraib.
In Qara Tapa, gunmen killed two people.
A bomb killed one person and wounded nine more in Tarmiya.
Fifty militants were killed in Makhmour.
Security forces killed eight militants and wounded 20 more in Saqlawiya.
In Kubeisa, four suicide bombers were killed.
