Shi’ite militiamen announced they have launched their campaign to reach Tal Afar and cut off an escape route to Syria that is being used both by Islamic State militants and refugees.
Still eager to insinuate Turkish troops into the Mosul campaign, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced he would reinforce Turkish forces in the border town of Silopi. There, they will be ready to be deployed should he believe that Shi’ite militiamen are causing sectarian terror in Tal Afar, home to many Turkmen.
In Mosul, witnesses say that thousands of human shields rounded up in the outskirts of the city are now clustered in central Mosul and are without food or shelter. Many of the displaced are women, children, or elderly and appear to be in poor condition after their forced marches. In other parts of the city, militants are rounding up former security personnel.
Security forces say the town of Shura has been cleared of militants after a battle. A humanitarian corridor has been set up for civilians to relocate to nearby Qayara. The villages of Abu Arayis, Ayn An Nasr, Humaidiya, Jayif, Majman, Mukhalat, Mustanqa, Shruq, Tal Tayiba, and Zwirij were also liberated. Hamza, Haram, Mwaylaha,, Sajma, and San Zaban were freed as well. Several of these villages were captured by Shi’ite militia forces.
At least 200 people were killed and 94 were wounded, including 10 P.K.K. guerrillas:
The number of casualties in the Kirkuk assault that occurred just over a week ago was readjusted from previous estimates. The number of civilian and security personnel casualties rose by 17 dead and 65 wounded.
Militants executed 100 civilians in Mosul.
In Tal Keif, a Coalition airstrike reportedly killed four Iraqi soldiers and wounded nine more.
In Baghdad, a bomb targeting pilgrims killed seven and wounded 20 at a rest stop in the Iskan neighborhood.
A military helicopter crashed in Mkesheifa, but the number of casualties was not released.
Security forces killed 35 militants in Shura during an hours-long battle that left the city emptied of militants.
In the Makhoul Mountains, 30 militants were killed in a clash.
Seven militants were killed during the liberation of Um al-Manasis village.
Turkish authorities announced that airstrikes targeting Kurdistan Workers Party (P.K.K.) camps in northern Iraq killed 10 guerrillas.
