At least 16 people were killed and 48 were wounded in recent attacks:
Eight people were killed and 31 were wounded when a suicide bomber struck at a funeral in Tarmiya, just north of Baghdad. Shi’ite militiamen were reported among the victims. Because ISIS/Daesh still operates freely in the area, the last significant attack in the Tarmiya area occurred only two weeks ago.
In Kirkuk, a family was found in their car after gunmen attacked during Kurdish election celebrations. The father and a four-year-old were killed; the mother was wounded and last reported in a coma. Shi’ite militiamen were blamed for the attack.
Thirteen civilians were wounded in a Coalition airstrike near Qayara.
Militants kidnapped and killed two tribal fighters in Zab. Separately, a house was set on fire on wounded two people, possibly children.
In Rifaie, gunmen killed a policeman and wounded another.
Three militants were killed in Wadi Hajar.
In other news:
Hundreds of Arab and Turkmen residents of Kirkuk gathered outside an election office to protest irregularities in the May 12 election that may include fraud or vote-rigging. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan received most of the votes according to election officials, surprising many of the residents who are not Kurds. Kirkuk Governor Rakan al-Jabouri dismissed earlier reports that gunmen had taken hostages at the office.
Despite the apparent election mandate from voters to be rid of foreign influence, Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani was in Baghdad on Wednesday to lobby for a cabinet preferred by Iranian leadership.
