Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses. Share the link of this article with your facebook friends

 

700,000 Mosul Refugees Still Displaced, Scores of Iraqis Killed Daily in Sunni Muslim Provinces by Iraqi Government and Coalition Attacks

October 30, 2017

Editor's Note:

The following are just examples of news stories about the continuous Iraq war. Daily news stories can be accessed from the news sources listed below and others in the internet.

 

Five Iraqis were injured in an explosion in Al-Latifiya, south of Baghdad, on October 30, 2017	Iraqi Mosul refugees fleeing to Syria during the war on Mosul, September 2017

 

The following are news stories from the independent Iraqi Arabic news agency, Yaqein ( http://yaqein.net/ ):

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Five Iraqis were injured in an explosion in Al-Latifiya, south of Baghdad,  October 30, 2017, yaqein.net إصابات بتفجير والميليشيات تقتل مدنيا بحادثين في بغداد 30 أكتوبر 2017 أصيب خمسة أشخاص ، اليوم الاثنين ، بانفجار عبوة ناسفة بالقرب من محال تجارية ، فيما اقدمت الميليشيات الطائفية على قتل مدني بهجوم مسلح ، بحادثين منفصلين في ناحية اللطيفية ومنطقة جسر ديالى جنوب وجنوب شرقي العاصمة بغداد. وقال مصدر حكومي في تصريح له إن “عبوة ناسفة كانت موضوعة بالقرب من محال تجارية في ناحية اللطيفية جنوبي بغداد انفجرت، اليوم، ما ادى الى اصابة خمسة مدنيين بجروح”. وأضاف المصدر أن “مسلحين مجهولين اطلقوا نيران اسلحتهم على مدني اثناء خروجه من منزله في جسر ديالى جنوب شرقي العاصمة بغداد ، مما أسفر عن وفاته في الحال”." المصدر:وكالة يقين http://yaqein.net/politics/66864

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The following are news stories from a pro-Iraqi government website (http://www.iraqinews.com/), which usually reports those who are killed by Iraqi government attacks as Islamic State fighters, implying no civilians were killed by bombing residential neighborhoods:

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Fifteen Islamic State militants killed in Salahuddin

by Nehal Mostafa Oct 28, 2017, 12:57 pm3 Comments

Salahuddin (IraqiNews.com)

Fifteen Islamic State militants were killed by the pro-government paramilitary troops in Salahuddin province, a source said on Saturday.

Speaking to Alghad Press, a source from al-Hashd al-Shaabi [Popular Mobilization Forces] said “we received information about the IS in villages of Tuz Khurmatu before brigades of Turkmen fighters, as well as other factions, headed to besiege the militants in Barwajli.”

“Confrontations with fifteen militants left them all killed,” the source said, adding that two personnel were also killed.

The village is considered one of the militant group’s strongholds, along with Yanikja village in Tuz Khurmatu and Amerli axis.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi and the Joint Operations Command declared in September the launch of first phase of operations to liberate Hawija and eastern Shirqat, located north of Salahuddin.

The Iraqi army said in September 2016 its forces recaptured the western coast of Shirqat, located south of Mosul, on the west bank of the Tigris river, after being surrounded for months by Iraqi troops and the pro-government Shi’ite militias.

Having recaptured Hawija in Kirkuk, Mosul and Tal Afar in Nineveh and Annah town in Anbar, Iraqi troops still have only western Anbar’s towns of Rawa and Qaim remain under the militant’s control.

On Thursday, a military operation was launched to liberate Qaim and Rawa towns. Both towns have been held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic “Caliphate”.

Iraqi army forces kill dozens of Islamic State members west of Anbar

by Mohamed Mostafa Oct 27, 2017, 10:48 am

Qaim (IraqiNews.com)

Iraqi army forces killed on Friday dozens of Islamic State members as operations launched to retake the group’s last bastions in Iraq in western Anbar, a military source was quoted saying.

Alsumaria News quoted the source saying that the army’s 8th division engaged with a group of Islamic State militants at south of al-Qaim, killing 25.

Another source told Almaalomah news website that army warplanes killed dozens others of militants in Qaim’s desert.

The same website quoted Qatari al-Samarmad, a commander at the Mobilization forces in Anbar, saying that Iraqi troops were besieging IS militants at a “phosphate complex” in Qaim. He said the remaining militants in the town are stranded inside that facility.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared Thursday the launch of operations to clear the towns of Rawa and Qaim, Islamic State’s last havens on the borders with Syria.

Since Islamic State militants took over large areas of Iraq and Syria to establish a self-styled “caliphate” in 2014, Iraqi government forces, backed paramilitary troops and U.S.-led coalition, launched a wide-scale campaign to retake those regions.

So far, the offensives managed to retake Mosul, the group’s former capital, the town of Tal Afar, west of Nineveh, Kirkuk’s town of Hawija and Anbar’s Annah.

Local authorities and human rights agencies believe Islamic State members are holding tens of thousands of civilians in their western Anbar havens as future human shields, having killed hundreds for attempting to escape.

A monthly count by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), which excludes security members deaths, said 196 civilians were killed, while 381 others were wounded due to violence and armed conflicts during the month of September.

Seven Islamic State militants killed in air raid west of Anbar

by Mohamed Mostafa Oct 24, 2017, 3:35 pm

Anbar (IraqiNews.com)

Seven Islamic State militants were killed Tuesday by an Iraqi air raid west of Anbar, according to a paramilitary commander.

Zayzel al-Obaidi, a senior commander at the mobilization forces, told Almaalomah website that the seven militants died when Iraqi army fighter jets pounded their location in Qadisiya in central Rawa.

Those killed included foreign nationals, Obaidi said.

The towns of Rawa and Qaim in western Anbar are currently Islamic State’s last remaining havens in Iraq. Iraqi forces recaptured all other IS bastions in operations launched in October 2016, most notably Mosul, the group’s former capital.

Military Operations to retake Rawa and Qaim will be launched by end October, the security committee of Anbar provincial council said earlier on Tuesday.

“Military troops are ready for the battle. However, no instructions regarding participation of al-Hashd al-Shaabi [Popular Mobilization Forces] in the operations are clear,” the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper quoted Na’im al-Ka’oud, head of the committee, as saying. “The visits made by some leaders can be considered as follow-up on situations to acknowledge developments.”

Tribal fighters, Jazeera and Badiya operations commands and local police will take part in the battles, he said.

“Our information indicate that IS leaders fled Qaim and Rawa toward Syria and Libya,” Ka’oud said.

Coalition jets kill 40 Islamic State members west of Anbar

by Mohamed Mostafa Oct 20, 2017, 6:14 pm

Qaim (IraqiNews.com)

Warplanes from the United States-led coalition killed 40 Islamic State militants west of Anbar as operations approach for the recapture of the group’s last havens in Iraq.

Alghad Press quoted a security source saying that the fighter jets pounded militants’ locations near the “phosphate company” in the town of Qaim, killing 40 members.

More  than 15 vehicles belonging to the militants were destroyed in the raid, according to the source.

Since Islamic State militants took over large areas of Iraq and Syria to establish a self-styled “caliphate” in 2014, Iraqi government forces, backed paramilitary troops and U.S.-led coalition, launched a wide-scale campaign to retake those regions.

So far, the offensives managed to retake Mosul, the group’s former capital, the town of Tal Afar, Kirkuk’s Hawija and Anbar’s Annah. Only Qaim and neighboring Rawa currently remain in IS grip.

Local authorities and human rights agencies believe Islamic State members are holding tens of thousands of civilians in western Anbar as future human shields, having killed hundreds for attempting to escape.

A monthly count by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), which excludes security members deaths, said 196 civilians were killed, while 381 others were wounded due to violence and armed conflicts during the month of September.

Around 700,000 Iraqis from Mosul still displaced: NGO

by Nehal Mostafa Oct 15, 2017, 3:11 pm

Mosul (IraqiNews.com)

Around 700,000 Iraqis from Mosul and other neighboring regions are still displaced, despite retaking the town in July, the Norwegian Refugee Council said.

“One year since the start of the battle to retake Mosul from the Islamic State group (IS), some 673,000 Iraqis from the city and its surroundings remain displaced and unable to go back to their destroyed neighbourhoods,” a report by NRC said on Sunday.

“More than half of them may have lost their official civil documents — from birth certificates to property deeds – which will make rebuilding their lives even harder,” the report added.

On July 10, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over IS militants who had held Mosul, the second largest Iraqi city, since 2014. This marked the end of a nine-month old campaign to recapture the city.

Heidi Diedrich, NRC’s Iraq Country Director, said “The battle of Mosul is over, but for hundreds of thousands who fled the city, their suffering and despair continues.”

“After three years living under the brutal reign of the IS and a year since the battle to retake the city started, the tragedy for Iraqi civilians continues to this day. Until they are able to return home and rebuild their lives, the international community must continue to stand in solidarity with the Iraq’s displaced. Meanwhile, the government’s plans to rebuild Mosul must ensure the rights of displaced Iraqis are at the forefront of these efforts,” Diedrich added.

Around four million civilians were internally displaced, while thousands of others fled toward neighboring countries including Syria, Turkey and other European countries, since IS emerged to proclaim its self-styled “caliphate”.

250 displaced families arrive in Mosul, coming from Syria: MP

by Nehal Mostafa Oct 15, 2017, 11:09 am

Mosul (IraqiNews.com)

Over 200 displaced families have returned back from a refugee camp in Syria to Mosul city, an Iraqi MP was quoted saying on Sunday.

“250 families from Nineveh arrived over the past two days to Hamam al-Alil camp in south of Mosul, after staying for months in al-Hawl camp in Syria, enduring hard humanitarian situations there,” MP Abdul Rahim al-Shemari, who received the families, told Anadolu agency.

Shemari indicated “cooperation with Syrian authorities until the displaced arrived on board of government’s buses.” More people will return back later. “We provided 60 buses to transfer them to Mosul, which they fled during battles between Iraqi troops and Islamic State.”

Meanwhile, Cap. Haidar Ali al-Waeli, said “security committees from al-Hashd al-Shaabi [Popular Mobilization Forces] have been tasked with checking identities of the Iraqi returnees from al-Hawl Syrian camp.”

Waeli added that “the security checking will be intensive as some IS militants seek hiding through fake identities due to being in control of the official documents and stamps of the civil status and nationality departments in several provinces like Nineveh, Anbar and Salahuddin, over the past three years.”

Thousands of residents from Mosul and western regions in Nineveh including Baaj, Tal Afar, Qahtaniya and other villages located near borders with Syria had fled toward al-Hawl refugee camp as battles between troops and the militants broke out.

Around four million civilians were internally displaced, while thousands of others fled toward neighboring countries including Syria, Turkey and other European countries, since IS emerged in 2014 when it covered one third of the country. 

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The following are news stories from the US Department of Defense website (http://www.defense.gov/News) :

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Officials Provide Details of Latest Strikes Against ISIS

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Oct. 30, 2017 —

U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, conducting 11 strikes consisting of 17 engagements in recent days, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Operation Inherent Resolve Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve continues to work by, with and through regional partners to militarily defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, in order to enable whole-of-coalition governmental actions to increase regional stability. Download Image Image details page

Officials reported details of the most recent strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

In Syria, coalition military forces conducted six strikes consisting of 10 engagements against ISIS targets Oct. 28 and yesterday:

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr on Oct. 28, a strike damaged two ISIS lines of communication.

-- Near Abu Kamal yesterday, three strikes destroyed two ISIS staging areas and an ISIS-held building.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr yesterday, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed three ISIS tactical vehicles and two heavy weapons:

Strikes in Iraq

In Iraq in recent days, coalition military forces conducted four strikes consisting of six engagements against ISIS targets near Qaim:

-- On Oct. 27, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS fighting position.

-- Yesterday, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed three supply routes, two command-and-control nodes, an ISIS weapons cache and a vehicle-borne-bomb factory.

Military Strikes Continue Against ISIS in Syria, Iraq

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Oct. 28, 2017 —

Strike in Syria

In Syria, near Dayr Az Zawr, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of one engagement against an ISIS tactical unit.

Strikes in Iraq

In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted seven strikes consisting of 14 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Qaim, five strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed an ISIS command-and-control center, an ISIS safe house, two ISIS vehicles, one ISIS-held building, four rockets; and damaged two ISIS supply routes.

-- Near Rawah, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle maintenance facility, a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, a tactical vehicle, a transport vehicle and a weapons cache.

-- Near Qayyarah, a strike engaged one ISIS tactical unit, resulting in terrain denial.

Oct. 17 Strikes

Additionally, four strikes consisting of 18 engagements were conducted in Iraq and a strike consisting of one engagement was conducted in Syria on Oct. 17.

-- Near Qaim, three strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed an explosives storage facility, four ISIS-held buildings, one construction vehicle and four storage cylinders. Additionally, eight ISIS supply routes were damaged.

-- Near Rawah, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS safe house.

-- Near Ash Shaddadi, Syria, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a VBIED.

Officials Release Details of Latest Strikes Against ISIS in Syria, Iraq

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Oct. 27, 2017 —

Strikes in Syria

In Syria, coalition military forces conducted six strikes consisting of eight engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS vehicle.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, five strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed a vehicle-borne-bomb factory, three ISIS defensive fighting positions, a tactical vehicle, an ISIS headquarters and a fighting position.

Strikes in Iraq

In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted four strikes consisting of 10 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Qaim, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a command-and-control node, two weapons caches, a vehicle-borne-bomb headquarters and two vehicle-borne-bomb factories.

-- Near Rawah, two strikes destroyed three ISIS supply routes and damaged a supply route.

Additionally, a strike consisting of one engagement was conducted in Iraq on Oct. 17.

-- Near Qaim, a strike destroyed an ISIS-held building and an ISIS base.

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