With a few days left in the year, the Committee to Protect Journalists declared Iraq the deadliest country for journalists in 2017. Eight journalists were killed, but the threats have not ended with the demise of the Islamic State. The CPJ warns that “militias, political pressure, censorship, and sectarianism” remain notable problems.
Australia announced the end of its airstrike operations in Iraq and Syria, but about 80 personnel will remain in Iraq.
Human Rights Watch expressed its concern at the disappearance of 350 Sunni Arab prisoners in Kurdistan. The Asayesh service may have detained them on suspicion of being Islamic State militants.
At least three people were killed, and three more were wounded in the latest violence:
In Mosul, militants killed two policemen. A dumped body was also found.
A bomb in Abu Ghraib wounded two civilians.
A sticky bomb wounded a tribal fighter in Latifiya.
