Envoys from the Iraqi federal government and Kurdistan met in Erbil to negotiate an end to tensions that began with a non-binding independence referendum in September. A statement released by the Iraqi cabinet described the meeting as taking place in an “atmosphere of trust and understanding.”
At least 53 people were killed, and 116 more were wounded in recent violence:
In Baghdad, a pair of suicide bombers attacked a group of day laborers in Tayaran Square, killing 38 and wounding 105 more. One person was killed and three people were wounded in a “tribal dispute” east of Baghdad. A bombing in Jisr Diyala left three wounded.
Eight people were killed in a suicide bombing in Tarmiya on Sunday.
An altercation during a prisoner transfer from Chamchamal left one gunman dead and three wounded.
A bomb in Jurf al-Sakhar (Jurf al-Nasr) wounded two militiamen.
Two militants were killed in Tal Sufuk.
