Nicholas Rasmussen, the director of the U.S. National Counter Terrorism Center, spoke on Friday at the Aspen Security Forum. He warned the Islamic State militants from foreign countries could remain in Iraq and Syria, staging attacks, instead of returning home. The intelligence community believes about 40,000 militants joined ISIS/Daesh in Iraq and Syria. About 15,000 militants in total remain. He also admitted that he does not have evidence confirming that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead. Separately, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he believes the ISIS/Daesh leader is still alive.
The head of the morgue in east Mosul, Dr. Modhar al-Omary, disclosed that the 30-40 bodies a day they are processing is more activity than they were expecting.
At least 13 were killed and sevem were wounded:
At the border with Iraqi Kurdistan, Iranian Revolutionary Guards clashed with gunmen who were likely Kurdish militants residing in Iraq. Three gunmen were killed and four were wounded. One of the guards was also killed.
In Mosul, clashes broke out between the Sunni Nineveh Guards and Shi’ite militiamen. An Iraqi commander was killed west of the city. Three militants were killed trying to escape across the Tigris River.
A blast in Taji wounded three civilians.
Militiamen killed four militants in Tal al-Zalat.
The body of a militant photojournalist was discovered in a field near Kirkuk.
