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27 Iraqis Killed, 94 Injured in Twin-Suicide Bombing in Tayaran Square, in Baghdad

January 15, 2018

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.

 

Blood stains on the ground after the Tayaran Square bombing, on January 15, 2018

 

Suicide attack in Baghdad kills at least 27, wounds 64

Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli and Ahmed Rasheed; Editing by Mark Heinrich

BAGHDAD (Reuters) -

At least 27 people were killed and 64 wounded in a twin suicide bombing in central Baghdad on Monday, the deadliest attack so far this year in the Iraqi capital, an interior ministry official said.

Two men detonated explosives vests in Tayaran (Aviation) Square, a commercial district and gathering point for day laborers seeking work, scores of whom were killed and injured, according to the official.

Iraq declared victory last month over Islamic State (IS) militants who seized control of nearly a third of the country in 2014. However, IS continues to carry out attacks and bombings in Baghdad and different parts of the country.

The German foreign ministry condemned the devastating attack in Baghdad and expressed its condolences to the families of those killed.

The attack in Aviation Square was one of the deadliest in Baghdad since a massive truck bomb killed at least 324 people in the nearby commercial district of Karrada in July 2016.

The Karrada bombing was the deadliest single attack in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein.

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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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121 people killed, injured in deadly twin suicide bombing in central Baghdad

by Mohammed Ebraheem Jan 15, 2018, 9:40 am

Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) –

At least 121 people were killed and injured in a deadly twin suicide bombing in central Baghdad in the wee hours of Monday, a security source was quoted as saying.

Speaking to Baghdad Today, the source said, “The death toll from the twin suicide bombing that rocked al-Tayaran Square in central Baghdad early on Monday rose to 26, while 95 others were injured.”

“There are security men among the casualties,” the source said, adding that the explosion caused severe damage to vehicles that were at the scene.

Another security source told Shafaq News that the explosions took place “after two suicide bombers wearing explosive belts blew themselves up at a crowded site near al-Tayaran Square where many construction workers were gathered.”

According to the monthly release by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), a total of 69 civilians, excluding police personnel, were killed, while 142 others were wounded in December due to acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict across the country.

The worst affected province was Baghdad with 122 civilian casualties (24 killed, 98 injured). Salahuddin ranked the second place, with 7 killed and 25 injured, then Kirkuk came third with 15 killed and 6 injured.

The figures represented a significant decline from November’s which reached a total of 117 Iraqi civilians killed and another 264 injured.

According to the organization, 3298 Iraqi civilians were killed and 4781 were wounded in violence and armed conflict in 2017.

Four Islamic State militants killed in Kirkuk military operation

by Mohammed Ebraheem Jan 14, 2018, 7:24 pm 1 Comment

Kirkuk (Iraqinews.com) –

Four Islamic State militants were killed in a military operation in southwestern Kirkuk, a security source was quoted as saying.

Speaking to Alsumaria News on Sunday, the source said, “A joint force from the Iraqi army and al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) was carrying out a military operation in an area between Al-Abbasi and Hawija districts in southwestern Kirkuk.”

“Four Islamic State militants were killed in the clampdowns,” the source added.

In October, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared that Iraqi troops recaptured Hawija, a main town held by Islamic State in the country.

The town had fallen to Islamic State in June 2014, when the militant group seized control of much of northern and western Iraq and proclaimed the creation of a self-styled “caliphate”.

The offensive on Hawija began on 21 September and has involved army, police and special forces units, as well as the Shia-led paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces.

Iraqi forces took over Kirkuk in mid October in response to a referendum Kurdistan Region held in September for independence from Iraq. Kirkuk is one of the areas where Baghdad and Erbil dispute sovereignty.

Kurds voted overwhelmingly to break away from Iraq in a referendum held on Sept. 25, defying the central government in Baghdad as well as neighboring Turkey and Iran who have their own Kurdish minorities.

Three security personnel killed in Islamic State attack, south of Mosul

by Nehal Mostafa Jan 15, 2018, 1:03 pm

Nineveh (IraqiNews.com)

Three police personnel were killed in an attack by Islamic State members in south of Mosul, a security source from Nineveh police said on Monday.

“IS members set up an ambush and killed three police personnel using their guns,” Cap. Lutfi Shehab told BasNews. The attack was carried out in Ain al-Jahsh village, south of Mosul. Shehab also added that a citizen was kidnapped by gunmen from al-Jazayer region, east of Mosul, on Monday.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi declared in July victory over IS militants who had held the second largest Iraqi city since 2014. More than 25,000 Islamic State militants were killed throughout the campaign. Earlier this month, Abadi announced full liberation of Iraqi lands, declaring end of war against IS members.

Last month, Abadi announced full liberation of Iraqi lands, declaring end of war against IS members.

According to the monthly release by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), a total of 69 civilians, excluding police personnel, were killed, while 142 others were wounded in December due to acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict across the country.

3298 civilians were killed and 4781 others were wounded in 2017, excluding Anbar civilian casualty figures for November and December, which are not available, the report added. 

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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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Military Strikes Target ISIS in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Jan. 12, 2018 —

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria between Jan. 5 and Jan. 11, conducting 96 strikes consisting of 160 engagements.

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

Strikes in Syria

On Jan. 11 near Abu Kamal in Syria, coalition military forces conducted six strikes consisting of seven engagements against ISIS targets, destroying an ISIS fighting position.

On Jan. 10 near Abu Kamal in Syria, coalition military forces conducted 19 strikes consisting of 34 engagements against ISIS targets, destroying an ISIS supply route, four ISIS vehicles, three command-and-control centers, a recoilless rifle, two logistics centers, an indirect-fire weapon and a vehicle-borne bomb.

On Jan. 9 near Abu Kamal in Syria, coalition military forces conducted 26 strikes consisting of 39 engagements against ISIS targets, destroying three ISIS vehicles, a fighting position and a logistics center.

On Jan. 8 near Abu Kamal in Syria, coalition military forces conducted 15 strikes consisting of 26 engagements against ISIS targets, destroying three ISIS vehicles, an ISIS headquarters, a fighting position, an ISIS line of communication and an indirect-fire weapon.

On Jan. 7 near Abu Kamal in Syria, coalition military forces conducted 17 strikes consisting of 27 engagements against ISIS targets, destroying two ISIS headquarters, three logistics centers, two ISIS command-and-control centers, two fighting positions, two vehicle-borne bomb factories and two ISIS vehicles.

On Jan. 6 near Abu Kamal in Syria, coalition military forces conducted seven strikes consisting of 13 engagements against ISIS targets, destroying an ISIS supply route, a vehicle-borne bomb, an ISIS observation post, two fighting positions and an ISIS vehicle.

On Jan. 5 near Abu Kamal in Syria, coalition military forces conducted three strikes consisting of six engagements against ISIS targets, destroying three fighting positions and two ISIS supply routes.

Strikes in Iraq

There were no reported strikes conducted in Iraq on Jan. 5 and 8-11.

On Jan. 7 in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted two strikes consisting of seven engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Hawijah, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS tunnel.

-- Near Qayyarah, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

On Jan. 6 near Hawijah in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of an engagement against ISIS targets, destroying an ISIS bunker and an ISIS tunnel.

Two additional strikes have been reported in Syria and Iraq against ISIS targets:

-- On Jan. 4 near Abu Kamal, Syria, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

-- On Dec. 4 near Rutbah, Iraq, a strike destroyed a vehicle-borne bomb and factory.

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