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

 

34 Iraqis Killed in the Continuous War Between Government Forces and Sunnis,

January 4, 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.

 

Iraqi government militiamen, Hashd, in Tamim Province, file, January 3, 2018	Bomb targeting Iraqi police car in Anbar, file, January 3, 2018

 

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

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Iraqi government militiamen were attacked by ISIS members in Tamim Province, leading to the killing of a militiaman and injuring another. هجوم مسلح يستهدف ميليشيا الحشد في التاميم 04 يناير 2018 ،  المصدر:السومرية نيوز عجزت ميليشيا الحشد الشعبي عن بسط سيطرتها في المناطق التي تتواجد بها خاصة بعد اقتحامها للمناطق المتنازع عليها بين بغداد وأربيل وفي هذا السياق أقر  المشرف على الميليشيا في قضاء الدبس بمحافظة التاميم “ميثم الحمداني”، اليوم الأربعاء، بمقتل أحد أفرد الحشد وجرح آخر بهجوم مسلح شمال غربي المحافظة. وقال الحمداني في حديث نقلته (السومرية نيوز)، إن “قوة من الحشد الشعبي تعرضت لنيران من مسلحي (تنظيم الدولة) في منطقة عين أصلان الواقعة بين قضاء الحويجة والدبس، ، مما أدى إلى مقتل عنصر بالحشد وإصابة آخر فيما لاذ المسلحون بالهرب في المنطقة الوعرة”. وأضاف الحمداني، أن “قوة من الشرطة نقلت جثة القتيل إلى دائرة الطب العدلي والمصاب إلى أقرب مستشفى لتلقي العلاج”. http://yaqein.net/politics/81786

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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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Tribal fighter killed, two police personnel wounded in clashes with IS in Kirkuk

by Nehal Mostafa Jan 3, 2018, 9:41 pm

Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) --

A tribal fighter was killed, while two police personnel were wounded in confrontations with Islamic State members, northwest of Kirkuk, according to a security source and eyewitnesses.

“Armed confrontations occurred in the evening between the Tribal Mobilization Forces and IS members in Dibs town, northwest Kirkuk,” the source told Baghdad Today. “One of the personnel was killed.

Moreover, eyewitnesses told Shafaq News that Federal Police personnel carried out a campaign in the vicinity of Ghurra village in Dibs town.

While inspecting the region, according to the witnesses, the personnel were trapped by IS members in an ambush. Two of the personnel were wounded.

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.

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

Violence in the country has surged further with the emergence of Islamic State extremist militants who proclaimed an “Islamic Caliphate” in Iraq and Syria in 2014.

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

Seventeen Islamic State members killed, arrested, in operation south of Mosul

by Nehal Mostafa Jan 3, 2018, 9:10 pm

Mosul (IraqiNews.com)

Seventeen Islamic State members were killed and arrested in an operation in south of Mosul, a security source said on Wednesday.

“Joint security troops carried out an operation in al-Jazra region, for the second time, after information showed that IS militants sneaked through the region, located between al-Bou Seif and al-Shamsiyat villages,” Lt. Gen. Ali Ahmed, of Nineveh Operations Command, told BasNews.

“Troops managed to kill eleven IS members and arrest six others during the operation,” he added.

Earlier this week, sixty IS members were killed as Iraqi army, police and al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) launched a wide-scale security campaign on Saturday evening, targeting Islamic State militants in the region.

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.

Iraqi forces, backed by a U.S.-led coalition and paramilitary troops, have been fighting since October 2016 to retake territories Islamic State had occupied.

The war against IS has displaced nearly five million people, with tens of thousands of civilians and militants killed since the launch of the offensives to recapture occupied cities.

Iraqi troops kill 6 Islamic State militants during combing operation in Mosul

by Mohammed Ebraheem Jan 3, 2018, 8:54 pm

Nineveh (Iraqinews.com) –

Iraqi security forces killed on Wednesday six Islamic State militants during a combing operation south of Mosul city, a deputy military commander said.

Speaking to Radio Sawa on Wednesday, Deputy Commander of Nineveh Operations Major General Ahmed Bahgat said, “Acting upon intelligence reports, security forces launched a combing operation at an island in the center of the Tigris River south of Mosul city, killing six Islamic State militants.”

“The troops also seized several explosive belts and light weapons at the scene,” Bahgat added.

Earlier in the day, three Iraqi lawyers were shot dead by Islamic State militants on a road between Hamam al-Alil and Mosul cities south of Nineveh.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi declared in July victory over IS militants who had held the second largest Iraqi city of Mosul since 2014. In December, Abadi announced full liberation of Iraqi lands, declaring end of war against IS members.

Thousands of IS militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since a government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and a U.S.-led international coalition, was launched in October 2016 to fight the militant group, which declared a self-styled “caliphate” from Mosul in June 2014.

Since then, forces took back the group’s former capital, Mosul, the town of Tal Afar, Kirkuk’s Hawija, and each of Annah, Rawa and Qaim in Anbar.

The war against IS has displaced nearly five million people, with tens of thousands of civilians and militants killed since the launch of the offensives to recapture occupied cities.

Security forces kill four suicide attackers, south of Salahuddin: Command

by Nehal Mostafa Jan 3, 2018, 8:32 pm

Salahuddin (IraqiNews.com)

Security troops have killed four suicide attackers, south of Salahuddin province, a command said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Troops of Samarra Operations Command, composed of police, army and intelligence managed, today, to kill four suicide attackers in al-Kassarat region, southwest of Dujail town,” the statement said.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced, in December, full liberation of Iraqi lands, declaring end of war against IS members. In November, Abadi said his country has defeated Islamic State over the military level, but will declare final victory after desert areas are purged of militants.

Thousands of IS militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition, was launched in October 2016 to fight the militant group.

Since then, forces took back the group’s former capital, Mosul, the town of Tal Afar, Kirkuk’s Hawija, and each of Annah, Rawa and Qaim in Anbar.

The war against IS has displaced nearly five million people, with tens of thousands of civilians and militants killed since the launch of the offensives to recapture occupied cities.

Violence in the country has surged further with the emergence of Islamic State extremist militants who proclaimed an “Islamic Caliphate” from Mosul in Iraq and Syria in 2014.

Three policemen injured as bomb blast targets police patrol in Anbar

by Mohammed Ebraheem Jan 3, 2018, 7:10 pm

Anbar (Iraqinews.com) –

Three Iraqi cops were injured Wednesday as a bomb blast targeted a police patrol in Anbar, a security source was quoted saying.

“An explosive charge planted by Islamic State militants at Al-Qa’im district in Anbar went off while a police patrol was passing by the area, leaving three security men wounded,” the source told Basnews.

“Security troops cordoned off the blast scene,” the source said, adding that the ambulance carried the injured to a nearby hospital.

On Monday, a member of the Tribal Mobilization Forces was profoundly wounded after a bomb placed under his vehicle exploded, while passing by al-Radwaniyah region, west of Baghdad.

Violence in the country has surged further with the emergence of Islamic State extremist militants who proclaimed an “Islamic Caliphate” in Iraq and Syria in 2014.

Thousands of IS militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since a government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and a U.S.-led international coalition, was launched in October 2016 to fight the militant group.

Since then, forces took back the group’s former capital, Mosul, the town of Tal Afar, Kirkuk’s Hawija, and each of Annah, Rawa and Qaim in Anbar.

The war against IS has displaced nearly five million people, with tens of thousands of civilians and militants killed since the launch of the offensives to recapture occupied cities.

Six civilians killed, injured in two bomb blasts, south Baghdad

by Nehal Mostafa Jan 3, 2018, 11:18 am

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Six civilians were killed and injured in two bomb blasts in south Baghdad, a security source was quoted saying on Wednesday.

“A civilian was killed, while three others were wounded as a bomb blast occurred in Arab al-Jabour region, Al-Doura, south of Baghdad,” the source told Baghdad Today website.

Another bomb, according to the source, who preferred anonymity, “went off at al-Wardiya region in Mada’in, leaving two civilians wounded.”

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.

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

Violence in the country has surged further with the emergence of Islamic State extremist militants who proclaimed an “Islamic Caliphate” in Iraq and Syria in 2014.

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

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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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Mattis Says Operations Against ISIS Will Change in 2018

By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 2017 —

The destruction of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’s physical caliphate will change the way the coalition will go after the terror group, Defense Secretary James N. Mattis told Pentagon reporters here today.

Operations against the group dominated the informal press gaggle with the secretary.

“We sit here today at the end of 2017, the caliphate is on the run, we’re breaking them,” he said.

Some ISIS (members) escaped the encirclement of Raqqa into the Middle Euphrates River Valley. “We are in the process of crushing the life out of the caliphate there while trying to keep the innocent people safe -- which is very hard with this group,” he said.

The demarcation line between the Assad regime and its ally Russia, and the Syrian Democratic Forces and the coalition, is the middle of the river in this area. Mattis said the line has held up well, and that communications between Russian and coalition forces continue.

ISIS Fighters ‘Will Have to be Hunted Down’

The ISIS fighters that escaped into the valley “will have to be hunted down,” Mattis said.

ISIS operatives who move into the region controlled by the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad and the Russians are another matter. The SDF and the coalition will not launch attacks past the demarcation line, Mattis said. Having the terrorists in their area is not in Assad’s or the Russian’s best interests. The United States tipping off Russia of a potential ISIS attack in St. Petersburg is an example of ways the countries can work together against the group.

Mattis stresses that the battle against ISIS is not over. While the group has been shattered, its survivors are looking for ways and places to reconstitute, he added.

“It’s only a safe haven if people give them one,” Mattis said.

In Iraq, the coalition will continue to work with the Iraqi government to train troops and police and develop the intelligence needed to find and take down (ISIS members)  trying to launch attacks.

“We need to drive this down to the point where it can be handled by local authorities -- police,” he said. “But right now, it is still very much a military intelligence type of operation as the police try to set up local operations. Eventually, it will be rule of law and local security forces.”

Hunting ISIS down is not over. “Am I worried about it? Not in the least,” Mattis said. “These guys have not proven they can stand against the Iraqi security forces [or] the SDF. They are best against unarmed men, women and children.”

Moving forward in Syria involves ensuring diplomats have what they need to solve this civil war.

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