Fighting continues in Mosul, where about 250 families are still held prisoner in the Old City neighborhood.
Masoud Barzani, president of Iraqi Kurdistan, has called for presidential and parliamentary elections in Kurdistan this November. President since 2005, Barzani says he will not run for the post again. His last term expired in 2009 but was extended twice. The maneuvering could be to relieve political pressures ahead of the September 25 independence referendum. Parliament itself has not met since 2015.
The Iraqi Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell is denying reports that over 40,000 civilians were killed in Mosul. The Directorate of Civil Defense is claiming only 1,429 in western Mosul, so far.
The Iraqi Parliament passed a bill recognizing the Islamic State militants’ abuse of the Turkmen as genocide. The Turkmen are one of Iraq’s indigenous minority groups. There were unconfirmed reports that 200 Turkmen were executed just this month.
Russia is selling a large number of T-90 tanks to Iraq.
At least 56 were killed and five were wounded:
A bomb killed two children and a woman who were fleeing Hawija. Five more were wounded.
A suicide bomber in Baaj killed three soldiers.
In Mosul, a suicide bomber killed three soldiers in the Old City.
The bodies of two journalists were found in Imam Gharbi. Seven militants were killed.
In Tal Afar, an airstrike killed seven militants, including the emir of communications.
Airstrikes killed six militants in Aiadhiah.
Militants in Tal Afar and Aiadhiah executed 23 of their own colleagues.
