Although Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was eager to hang on to Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi, Parliament voted to impeach the minister over corruption allegations. The timing of his removal may affect plans to invade Mosul.
Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri said Iraqi Sunnis should prepare for a long guerilla war against Shi’ites, now that the Islamic State is on the wane. He also called on Syrians to help the Iraqis fight the “Crusader-Safavid occupation.” The Islamic State and al-Qaeda parted ways in 2014.
Iraq received two Czech L159 aircraft, which arrived at Balad airbase.
Security forces announced that the ongoing operations in Khalidiya Island left between 600 and 700 militants dead.
At least 116 people were killed and 62 more wounded:
Twenty civilians were killed and 45 were wounded when militants fired upon them trying to escape Daesh-controlled territory in Hawija.
A roadside bomb killed two people and wounded five more in Taji.
During the operations in Qayara, three security personnel were killed and 12 were wounded.
In the latest fighting in Khalidiya Island, 49 militants were killed.
Airstrikes left 27 militants dead in Nineveh province.
In Mosul, a strike killed 12 militants.
Security members in Ramadi killed three militants trying to cross the Euphrates River.
