Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared a 24-hour suspension of Iraq’s operation against Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. The premier said the ceasefire will allow both sides enough time to draw plans that will allow Baghdad to takeover territory and checkpoints that it wants under its control. On Thursday, the government said it wound not accept Kurdistan’s “freeze” of its independence agenda and wound instead continue its assault on the Kurds. It is unclear was caused Abadi to change his mind, but the temporary truce came just hours after Kurdish forces say they held back forces from reaching Faysh Khabur. The premier said he wanted to avoid bloodshed.
Islamic State militants are shoring up defenses along their last stronghold along the Iraq-Syria border in the cities of Rawa and Qaim in Iraq and in Albu Kamal in Syria.
Canada suspended military assistance to Iraq and Kurdistan due to the ongoing fighting.
At least 111 were killed or four dead, and eight were wounded:
Fifty bodies belonging to security personnel were found in a mass grave in Hawija.
Four bodies were found in Kirkuk.
In Baghdad, gunmen wounded five people. A bomb wounded three more.
In Qaim, security forces killed 32 militants.
At least 25 militants were killed during the captures of three villages in Anbar province.
