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

 

70% of Western Anbar Destroyed, Mosul Orphans Swarm Streets, Scores of Iraqis Still Killed in Air Strikes

December 4, 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.

 

Mosul orphans beg in the streets after massacring their parents in three years of attacks on the Iraqi city, December 3, 2017	Site of a destroyed neighborhood in Eastern Mosul, April 21, 2017

 

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

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Orphan and poor Mosul children beg in the streets Streets of the destroyed and beleaguered city of Mosul has a new phenomenon, in addition to the total destruction. Orphan and poor children are in every street begging for anything and any money. Without any care from the government, some of these homeless children may resort to crime soon, to satisfy their needs.  الفقر وفقدان المعيل يدفعان بأطفال الموصل للتسول في الشوارع  3 ديسمبر 2017 ،  وكالة يقين الموصل الحدباء سابقا ، اصبحت الان منكوبة بعد العمليات العسكرية التي طالت بدمارها كل شي ، ولاتزال اثارها واضحة على المدينة المهملة وعلى سكانها العائدون اليها ، حيث تشهد ظاهرة تكاد تكون غريبة من حيث وتيرة انتشارها في جميع شوارع الموصل ، وهي التسول من قبل الأطفال ، حيث يرى أهالي المدينة أن ارتفاع معدل هذه الظاهرة بشكل كبير حصل بعد استعادة السيطرة عليها وفقدان هؤلاء الأطفال لذويهم مما اضطرهم للتسول في الشوارع، حيث يعتبر الفقر وفقدان المعيل من أكثر الأمور المسببة لهذه الظاهرة بين الأطفال. واكدت مصادر صحفية مطلعة في تصريح لها ان ” مختصين في علم الاجتماع يرون أن من أكبر المعضلات التي تواجه العراق في العقد المقبل، ظاهرة أطفال الشوارع، حيث سيختار الكثير منهم طرق القتل والسرقات من أجل الحصول على المال، إضافة إلى شرائهم وتنظيمهم من قبل المافيات والعصابات المسلحة ودفعهم للقيام بأعمال مخالفة للقانون”. واضافت المصادر ان “المختصين طالبو بضرورة الإسراع بتشريع قانون يصون حقوق هذه الفئة من المجتمع للعمل على منع انجرافهم في اتجاه الأعمال الإجرامية التي تزعزع أمن واستقرار المجتمع، إضافة إلى فتح الدور والمراكز الخاصة بإيواء المشردين ومن الذين فقدوا ذويهم خلال المعارك الماضية واحتوائهم ، مؤكدين ان الحرب الأخيرة في الموصل أدت إلى ارتفاع هذه الظاهرة بشكل كبير بسبب فقدان الكثير من الأطفال لذويهم أو تدمير منازلهم ما جعلهم يتحولون إلى مشردين لا مأوى لهم “." http://yaqein.net/politics/73813

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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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70 % of western Anbar towns destroyed by war against Islamic State: Official

by Nehal Mostafa Dec 1, 2017, 10:30 pm

Anbar (IraqiNews.com) --

Around seventy percent of western regions in Anbar province were destroyed due to terrorist crimes carried out by Islamic State as well as liberation offensives by the military, an official said.

“The rate of destruction exceeds 70 percent in the liberated regions of Rawa and Qaim, with a high rate of destruction in Annah, in west of Anbar,” Fahd al-Rashed, a member of Anbar provincial council, told BasNews website. “Preliminary estimates showed the destruction of 26 schools, blasting most of the governmental authorities, booby-trapping of 17 service projects and destroying of seven pivotal bridges.”

“All water and electricity stations as well as crossings were destroyed in the liberated Upper Euphrates towns. Around 383 houses were totally destroyed, in addition to huge damages in houses of civilians and stores,” he added.

Rashed also indicated destruction in electricity networks as well as presence of hundreds of landmines placed by IS in west of Anbar, which requires governmental and international support to remove them and defuse the booby-trapped houses.

Hussein Ali, mayor of Rawa town, told Baghdad Today, earlier today, that over twenty five persons were killed as booby-trapped houses exploded in the town.

Iraqi troops retook Rawa from Islamic State members in November.

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

17 Islamic State members killed in army airstrike, west of Anbar

by Nehal Mostafa Dec 2, 2017, 3:17 pm

Anbar (IraqiNews.com) --

Seventeen Islamic State militants were killed in an airstrike in west of Anbar, a paramilitary official said on Saturday.

“Army jets targeted militants gathering at al-Husseiniyat region, near Wadi Hawran, north of Rutba, leaving seventeen members of foreign nationalities killed, according to our sources from the targeted region,” Qutri al-Samarmad, commander at Anbar’s mobilization forces, told SNG website.

“The militants were planning to attack the nearby military units,” he said, adding that “the targeted region is one of the places known for presence of IS sleeper cells in the western desert of Anbar.”

“The shelling depended on intelligence information that enable the jets kill the militants,” Samarmad said.

Brig. Gen. Yehia Rasool, spokesperson for the Joint Operations Command said in remarks on Friday that the second phase of operations to clear borders near Syria from Islamic State militants will launch soon. An area of 14,000 out of 29,000 square kilometers in the desert has been cleared by IS militants.

On Wednesday, Samarmad was quoted saying that army warplanes pounded an IS hideout in Wadi Hawran, west of the province, killing 27 militants, including foreign nationals.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi said during his weekly press in November that his country has defeated Islamic State over the military level, but will declare final victory after desert areas are purged of militants.

Earlier in November, Iraqi forces recaptured Anbar’s western town of Rawa, the very last bastion under Islamic State control.

Five Islamic State members killed in army airstrike, north of Baghdad

by Nehal Mostafa Dec 2, 2017, 11:58 pm

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) --

Five Islamic State members were killed in an airstrike in north of Baghdad, a security source said on Saturday.

“Army jets launched an airstrike in al-Tarmiyah, north of Baghdad, targeting a rest house of the Islamic State,” the source told Baghdad Today website.

“The airstrike left the rest house completely destroyed and the five members, who were inside, killed,” he added.

Earlier today, a bomb, placed near stores in al-Hamamiyat region, Taji district, went off leaving five persons wounded.

On Friday, a bomb exploded near a market in al-Mada’in district, southeast of Baghdad, leaving one killed and seven others wounded. Another bomb, placed on the side of the road in Suwaib region, went off leaving three people injured.

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

The Iraqi capital has seen almost daily bombings and armed attacks against security members, paramilitary troops and civilians since a government campaign, backed by al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) and a U.S.-led international coalition, has been fighting the Islamic State group, which declared a self-styled “caliphate” from Mosul in June 2014.

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.

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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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US-Led Military Strikes Continue Against ISIS in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Dec. 1, 2017 —

U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, conducting 19 strikes consisting of 24 engagements between Nov. 27 and yesterday, 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.

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

Strikes in Syria

Yesterday near Abu Kamal in Syria, coalition military forces conducted five strikes that engaged five ISIS tactical units and destroyed an ISIS fighting position, a tactical vehicle and an explosive hazard.

On Nov. 29 near Abu Kamal, coalition military forces conducted three strikes that engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed a tactical vehicle, two ISIS watercraft, a heavy weapon, five ISIS vehicles and four supply routes.

On Nov. 28 near Abu Kamal, coalition military forces conducted five strikes that engaged five ISIS tactical units and destroyed three ISIS watercraft, an ISIS barge, a weapons cache and 11 ISIS vehicles.

On Nov. 27 near Abu Kamal, coalition military forces conducted three strikes that engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed a tactical vehicle, two ISIS watercraft, a rocket system and five ISIS vehicles.

Strikes in Iraq

Yesterday in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted two strikes consisting of two engagements against ISIS targets.

-- Near Rawah, a strike destroyed an ISIS construction vehicle.

-- Near Rutbah, a strike destroyed an ISIS bunker.

There were no reported strikes conducted in Iraq on Nov. 29.

On Nov. 28 near Qaim in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted a strike that destroyed an ISIS fighting position.

There were no reported strikes conducted in Iraq on Nov. 27.

US-Led Inherent Resolve Strikes Target ISIS in Syria, Iraq

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Nov. 27, 2017 —

U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 11 strikes consisting of 36 engagements Nov. 24 and 25, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the most recent strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports and adding that no strikes have yet been reported as having taken place in Syria or Iraq yesterday.

In addition, officials today reported details of a Nov. 23 strike consisting of one engagement near Abu Kamal, Syria, for which the details were unavailable in time for the most recent previous report. The strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS vehicle.

Strikes in Syria

On Nov. 24 in Syria, coalition military forces conducted four strikes consisting of seven engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Abu Kamal, three strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed two ISIS vehicles.

-- Near Shadaddi, a strike damaged an ISIS supply route.

On Nov. 25 in Syria, coalition military forces conducted five strikes consisting of eight engagements near Abu Kamal, engaging six ISIS tactical units and destroying four ISIS vehicles and a headquarters.

Strikes in Iraq

On Nov. 24 in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted two strikes consisting of 21 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Baaj, a strike engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed six ISIS vehicles and two ISIS-held buildings.

-- Near Mosul, a strike damaged an ISIS supply route.

No strikes were reported in Iraq for Nov. 25, officials said.

Military Strikes Continue Against ISIS Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Nov. 24, 2017 —

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, conducting 10 strikes consisting of 14 engagements Nov. 10-23, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

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

Strikes in Syria

Yesterday near Abu Kamal in Syria, coalition military forces conducted a strike that engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS vehicle consisting of two engagements against ISIS targets.

There were no reported strikes conducted in Syria on Nov. 22.

There were no reported strikes conducted in Syria on Nov. 21.

On Nov. 20 near Abu Kamal in Syria, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of an engagement that destroyed an ISIS vehicle.

On Nov. 19 near Abu Kamal, two strikes consisting of two engagements damaged four ISIS tunnel systems.

Strikes in Iraq

There were no reported strikes conducted in Iraq yesterday.

On Nov. 22 near Qayyarah in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted two strikes consisting of two engagements that destroyed an ISIS headquarters and a vehicle-borne bomb factory.

On Nov. 21 in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted six strikes consisting of nine engagements against ISIS targets:

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

-- Near Qayyarah, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS air defense headquarters, a fighting position and 22 ISIS-held buildings.

-- Near Rawah, three strikes destroyed two ISIS tunnels, two weapons caches and an ISIS bunker.

There were no reported strikes conducted in Iraq on Nov. 20.

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