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

 

Scores of Iraqis Killed in Sunni Arab Areas, Plans to Expand US Bases, Turkish Forces Fight Kurdish Fighters

March 19, 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.

 

US soldiers in the village of Abu Ghaddur, east of Tal Afar, Iraq, March 18, 2018	Turkish soldiers on the Turkish-Iraqi-Iranian border triangle, March 18, 2018

 

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

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Turkish forces fight against fighters of the Kurdish Workers Party in the border area between Turkey, Iraq, and Iran, about 15 kilometers inside Iraqi Kurdistan, where about 2,000 Turkish soldiers have bases there.  شمال العراق.. ثكنات عسكرية تركية واشتباكات مع حزب العمال 18 مارس 2018 ، وكالة يقين صرح مسؤول محلي في احدى النواحي الحدودية في شمال العراق ، مساء اليوم الاحد، بوقوع مواجهات عسكرية مسلحة بين القوات التركية ومسلحي حزب العمال الكردستاني في المثلث الحدودي العراقي التركي الايراني، مبينا أن القوات التركية توغلت بنحو 15 كيلو متر داخل الأراضي العراقية وانشأت ثكنات عسكرية هناك . وقال مدير ناحية سيدكان الحدودية “إحسان جلبي” في تصريح صحفي إن “مواجهات قوية شهدها المثلث الحدودي العراقي التركي الايراني بين الجيش التركي ومسلحي حزب العمال الكردستاني منذ يومين”، مبينا أن “القوات التركية استخدمت خلال المواجهات الاسلحة الثقيلة والطائرات”. وأضاف جلبي أن “القوات التركية توغلت بعمق نحو15 كيلومتر الى داخل الاراضي العراقية في ناحية سيدكان”، مؤكدا أن “تلك القوات انشأت نحو 12 ثكنة عسكرية في تلك المنطقة”. وتابع جلبي أنه “بحسب المصادر المطلعة فإن الجيش التركي يخطط لشن هجوم واسع على مواقع حزب العمال الكردستاني في المثلث الحدودي العراقي التركي الإيراني”، لافتا الى أن “توغل القوات التركية أثارت الفزع بين سكان المنطقة”. وكان مسؤولون بحكومة إقليم كردستان أكدوا في وقت سابق، توغل القوات التركية بنحو 5 كم الى داخل الاراضي في منطقة ناحية سيدكان التابعة لمحافظة أربيل الواقعة في المثلث الحدودي العراقي التركي الايراني. يذكر أن إقليم كردستان يوجد فيه عدة قواعد للجيش التركي، والتي تضم أكثر من 2000 جندي واليات وإسلحة متنوعة.   http://yaqein.net/politics/97263

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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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Islamic State members arrested as Iraqi troops launch airstrike, west of Anbar

by Nehal Mostafa Mar 18, 2018, 7:27 pm

Anbar (IraqiNews.com) --

Several Islamic State members were arrested as an airstrike was carried out, west of Anbar, a security source was quoted saying on Sunday.

Speaking to AlSumaria News, the source said, “troops of the Counter-Terrorism Service carried out an airstrike in the desert, southeast of Rutba, in coordination with Anbar Operations Command and the first brigade.”

The troops, according to the source, who asked to remain anonymous, “managed to arrest group of terrorists.”

Last week, six Islamic State members were killed as the U.S.-led Coalition launched an airstrike in Wadi al-Qathf region in Rutba.

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.

Abadi announced in December full liberation of Iraqi lands, declaring end of war against IS members. However, Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks across Iraq against troops. Security reports indicate that the militant group still poses threat against stability in the country.

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

The war against IS has so far displaced at least five million people.

Five civilians killed in armed attack, west of Kirkuk: Source

by Nehal Mostafa Mar 18, 2018, 9:35 pm

Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) --

Five civilians, including a woman, were killed in an armed attack, west of Kirkuk, a local source said on Sunday.

“A group of gunmen, believed to be members of Islamic State, attacked a village in al-Riyad town in Hawija, leaving five civilians, including a woman, killed,” the source told AlSumaria News.

“Security troops transferred the victims to forensic medicine department,” the source, who preferred anonymity, added without giving further details.

A total of 91 Iraqi civilians were killed and 208 others were injured in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in February, according to the monthly report issued by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

Baghdad was the worst affected Governorate, with 195 civilian casualties (49 killed, 146 injured). Anbar Governorate ranked second place, with 14 killed and 37 injured, and Diyala had 12 killed and 11 injured.

As many as 3,298 civilians were killed and 4,781 others were wounded in 2017, excluding Anbar civilian casualty figures for November and December, which are not available, UNAMI said in a report in December.

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, which declared a self-styled “caliphate” from Mosul in June 2014.

Iraqi troops kill seven Islamic State militants in Nineveh province

by Mohammed Ebraheem Mar 18, 2018, 1:55 pm

Nineveh (Iraqinews.com) –

Iraqi troops killed on Sunday seven Islamic State (IS) militants while trying to infiltrate into al-Ba’aj district in Nineveh province, a military spokesman was quoted as saying.

Speaking to the Kuwaiti al-Watan newspaper, spokesman for the Nineveh Operations Command Brigadier-General Mohamed al-Jabouri said, “A group of IS militants tried to sneak into al-Ba’aj district, 120 km northwest of Mosul, but security forces stationed there managed to foil their scheme and killed seven of them.”

“The IS insurgents sought to infiltrate into al-Ba’aj district to carry out terrorist attacks against security forces and citizens,” Jabouri said, adding that the troops seized all weapons from the terrorists.

Jabouri pointed out the security forces will continue to hunt for Islamic State infiltrators across the province.

The Islamic State group appeared on the international scene in 2014 when it seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, declaring the establishment of an Islamic “caliphate” from Mosul city.

Later on, the group has become notorious for its brutality, including mass killings, abductions and beheadings, prompting the U.S. to lead an international coalition to destroy it

Despite the victory over IS in Iraq in December, observers say IS is believed to constitute a security threat against security forces and citizens alike.

Iraqi lawmaker warns of “plots to expand U.S. military bases” in Iraq

by Mohammed Ebraheem Mar 18, 2018, 12:28 pm

Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) –

An Iraqi lawmaker has warned of plots to expand U.S. military bases in Iraq, stressing that his country is no longer in need of American trainers or security advisers.

Knooz Media quoted MP Ali al-Morshidy as saying Sunday that the U.S. administration is plotting to expand its “military bases in Iraq under the pretext of fighting the Islamic State (IS) group and providing security advice for the Iraqi government.”

Morshidy pointed out that the Iraqi government, if necessary, could make use of security expertise of any foreign country, other than the U.S., which he accused of exploiting the anti-IS war to ensure a longer presence in the country.

Earlier, an international coalition fighting IS militants in Iraq stressed that the enduring U.S. military presence in Iraq will be conditions-based and “proportional to the need and in coordination with the government of Iraq.”

The announcement was made after the Arab country declared victory over Islamic State in December with the help of a US-led alliance, having retaken all the territory captured by the extremists in 2014 and 2015.

Despite its defeat across Iraqi territories, isolated Islamic State cells remain active in some parts of the country. In recent weeks, suspected Islamic State insurgents have carried out several attacks targeting security forces.

Eight Iraqi soldiers killed, injured in Islamic State attack on Anbar roadblock

by Mohammed Ebraheem Mar 16, 2018, 12:46 pm

Anbar (Iraqinews.com) –

Eight Iraqi soldiers were killed and injured Friday in an armed attack launched by Islamic State (IS) militants on a security checkpoint in Anbar, a security source was quoted as saying.

Speaking to Basnews website, the source said, “A security checkpoint set up on a highway in Al-Qa’im district, west of Anbar, was targeted by a group of IS militants in the wee hours of Friday.”

“The armed attack left four Iraqi soldiers killed, and four others wounded,” according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

He pointed out that the “injured soldiers were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, while a security force arrived at the scene and opened a probe into the incident.”

“A manhunt was launched in search for perpetrators of the attack, who fled to unknown locations in the desert,” the source concluded.

Iraq declared the collapse of Islamic State’s territorial influence earlier in November with the recapture of Rawa, a city on Anbar’s western borders with Syria, which was the group’s last bastion in Iraq.

IS declared a self-styled “caliphate” in a third of Iraq and neighboring Syria in 2014. A government campaign, backed by a U.S.-led international coalition, was launched in 2016 to retake IS-held regions, managing to retake all havens, most notably the city of Mosul, the group’s previously proclaimed capital.

Fourteen Iraqi soldiers killed, injured in armed attack, west of Anbar

by Nehal Mostafa Mar 15, 2018, 11:15 pm

Anbar (IraqiNews.com) --

Seven Iraqi soldiers were killed, while seven others were wounded in an armed attack, carried out by unidentified gunmen, west of Anbar, news agencies quoted a security source from the province as saying on Thursday.

“Army troops carried out a wide-scale operation in the desert, southeast of Rutba, when Islamic State militants attacked them,” the source said.

The army, according to the source, who asked to remain anonymous, “killed several militants during the confrontations.”

Earlier today, six IS members were killed in airstrike launched by the Iraqi jets in west of Anbar, the Iraqi News Agency reported.

“Iraqi military jets shelled a secret tunnel of IS in al-Kaara region in Qaim town, leaving six militants killed and two vehicles destroyed,” a source from al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) said.

The shelling took place during an operation to comb border exits, he added. On Wednesday, nine Islamic State members were killed in airstrikes by the U.S.-led Coalition in Rutba region, west of Anbar.

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.

Abadi announced in December full liberation of Iraqi lands, declaring end of war against IS members. However, Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks across Iraq against troops. Security reports indicate that the militant group still poses threat against stability in 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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US Officials Report Details of Latest Defeat-ISIS Strikes in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, March 16, 2018 —

Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve and its partners continued to strike Islamic State of Iraq and Syria targets in designated parts of Syria and Iraq between March 9-15, conducting 23 strikes consisting of 37 engagements.

Strikes in Syria

Yesterday in Syria, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of two engagements against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal. The strikes destroyed an ISIS observation post.

On March 14, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of four engagements against ISIS targets near Shadaddi. The strike destroyed an ISIS-held building.

There were no reported strikes conducted in Syria on March 13.

On March 12, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of two engagements against ISIS targets near Shadaddi. The strike destroyed an ISIS-held building.

On March 11, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of one engagement against ISIS targets near Dayr Az Zawr. The strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS drone.

On March 10, coalition military forces conducted two strikes consisting of two engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed an ISIS-held building.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

On March 9, coalition military forces conducted three strikes consisting of three engagements against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal. The strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed an ISIS-held building and a weapons cache.

Strikes in Iraq

Yesterday, coalition military forces conducted two strikes consisting of two engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Qaim, a strike destroyed an ISIS supply route.

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

On March 14, coalition military forces conducted two strikes consisting of seven engagements against ISIS targets near Rutbah. The strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two ISIS-held buildings, two ISIS vehicles and three fighting positions.

On March 13, coalition military forces conducted four strikes consisting of six engagement against ISIS targets:

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

-- Near Rutbah, a strike damaged an ISIS tunnel.

-- Near Qayyarah, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two ISIS watercraft and a fighting position.

On March 12, coalition military forces conducted two strikes consisting of three engagements against ISIS targets near Rutbah. The strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed an ISIS tunnel and a ISIS vehicle.

On March 11, coalition military forces conducted three strikes consisting of four engagements against ISIS targets near Hawijah. The strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed an ISIS camp and a tunnel.

On March 10, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of one engagement against ISIS targets near Baghdad. The strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

There were no reported strikes in Iraq on March 9.

Additional Strikes in Iraq

On March 8, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of three engagements against ISIS targets near Tal Afar. The strikes destroyed an ISIS tunnel.

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