Col. Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for Coalition forces, spoke at a press conference on Thursday and reported that Islamic State militants in Tal Afar are now completely surrounded. He also said about 300 of the 2,000 remaining militants were killed in the fighting. Furthermore, Nineveh’s provincial council declared that half of Tal Afar is now captured.
Authorities recovered 16 more bodies from the naval ship that accidentally struck another vessel in Iraqi waters last Saturday.
At least 84 people were killed and five were wounded in recent violence:
Militants executed a family of eight, including an infant, when they tried to escape Hawija. The family was tarred and set on fire.
In Baghdad, a bomb killed one person and wounded three others. Gunmen wounded two soldiers.
About 50 militants were killed in fighting in Tal Afar on Thursday.
Near Qaim, about 25 militants were killed in an airstrike on Abu Saad’s farm.
A major clash took place near Daquq.
