Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Further Reading

• Trump travel ban punishes those fighting terrorism, says Iraqi premier Press TV 31 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi says a controversial decision by the administration of US President Donald Trump to restrict arrivals from Iraq punishes people who are "fighting terrorism."
• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 30 Jan 2017 -- The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
• Pentagon Compiles List of Iraqis for Possible Exemption from Immigration Ban VOA 30 Jan 2017 -- The Pentagon says it is compiling a list of Iraqi nationals who have aided the U.S. military, in an attempt to exempt them from President Donald Trump's 90-day ban on immigration from seven countries identified by the White House as "sources of terror."
• Military Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 30 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Russia ready to help Iraq fight Daesh: Lavrov Press TV 30 Jan 2017 -- Russia has expressed readiness to provide the Iraqi government with assistance in the country's fight against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group.
• Some 350,000 children face siege-like conditions in western Mosul: Charity Press TV 30 Jan 2017 -- An estimated 350,000 children are trapped in siege-like conditions and risk execution by the Daesh terrorist group in the western part of Mosul, an international non-governmental organization warns.
• Iraqi parliament votes to urge govt. to enact reciprocal travel ban on Americans Press TV 30 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi legislators have voted to call on the government to enact a reciprocity measure to block American citizens from entering the country if the US does not withdraw President Donald Trump's visa ban against Iraqi travelers.
• Iraqi troops found 27 civilians bodies in Mosul mass grave Press TV 30 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi forces have found a mass grave in the liberated parts of Mosul containing the bodies of 27 civilians slain by Daesh terrorists.
• Iran, Iraq, Yemen censure US president's travel ban on Muslims Press TV 29 Jan 2017 -- US President Donald Trump's controversial Muslim ban has been met with criticism from Iran, Iraq and Yemen, whose nationals have been targeted by the restrictive measure.
• Military Strikes Hit ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 29 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Top Iraqi cleric wants Americans out over Trump's ban on Muslims Press TV 29 Jan 2017 -- Prominent Iraqi cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, has censured US President Donald Trump over his executive order to ban entry into the US of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, calling for the expulsion of American nationals from the Arab country in retaliation.
• Counter-ISIL Strikes Hit Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 27 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 28 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Iraqi government forces discover chemical warfare agent in Mosul Press TV 28 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi government soldiers have found a cytotoxic and vesicant chemical agent in Mosul in addition to a cache of surface-to-surface missiles that could be used to weaponize the warfare agent.
• 60 Daesh terrorists killed in clashes with Iraqi forces Press TV 28 Jan 2017 -- Sixty Takfiri Daesh terrorists have been killed during clashes with Iraqi forces in two Iraqi provinces.
• Trump at Pentagon, Looking for New Strategy Options to Counter IS VOA 27 Jan 2017 -- President Donald Trump arrived at the Pentagon Friday, where talks with top military leaders were likely to include asking for options on how to defeat the Islamic State (IS) in ways that were previously considered "off the table" during the previous administration, defense officials told VOA.
• Turkish aerial attacks kill nearly 60 PKK militants in northern Iraq Press TV 27 Jan 2017 -- Nearly five dozen members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have been killed when Turkish military aircraft carried out a string of aerial attacks against the militants' positions in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.
• Turkish Air Force Killed 57 PKK Fighters in Iraq on January 13-14 Sputnik 27 Jan 2017 -- The Turkish General Staff said Ankara's airstrikes had killed 57 PKK fighters on January 13-14 in an area in Iraq.
• Iraqi government troops win back two villages north of Mosul Press TV 27 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi army soldiers have managed to regain control over two villages north of the strategic city of Mosul as government forces, backed by fighters from allied Popular Mobilization Units and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, are involved in multi-pronged operations to expel Daesh terrorists from their last urban stronghold in the country.
• UN health agency stepping up efforts to provide trauma care to people in Mosul UN News 27 Jan 2017 -- As the conflict in Mosul intensifies and greater numbers of civilians are caught in the crossfire, the United Nations health agency and its partners have increased trauma care services to ensure that patients requiring medical care for injuries have a greater chance of survival.
• Inherent Resolve Strikes Target ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 26 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Pentagon Official Details Counter-ISIL Progress in Iraq, Syria AFPS 26 Jan 2017 -- The coalition and its partners in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant continue to make gains in Iraq and Syria, a Pentagon spokesman said today.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by General Martin via teleconference from Baghdad, Iraq DoD 25 Jan 2017 -- Presenter: Major General Joseph Martin, commanding general, Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command-Operation Inherent Resolve
• Counter-ISIL Strikes Hit Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 25 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Iraqi Forces Free Eastern Mosul From ISIL, OIR Commander Says AFPS 25 Jan 2017 -- Last night, Iraqi security forces liberated eastern Mosul from more than two years of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's control, Army Maj. Gen. Joseph M. Martin, commanding general, Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command Operation Inherent Resolve, told reporters today.
• Daesh Terrorists Use Attack Drones in Iraq Sputnik 26 Jan 2017 -- Daesh took to social media recently to show off a new drone, bragging that the terror group has an air force.
• Iraqi PM says Iraq's oil is for Iraqis IRNA 25 Jan 2017 -- Iraq's oil is the property of Iraqis, the country's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Tuesday, in reaction to US President Donald Trump who argued that the United States should have taken possession of the nation's crude reserves.
• Iraqi oil belongs to people of Iraq, Abadi says Press TV 25 Jan 2017 -- Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has stressed that Iraq's oil belongs to the nation, in reaction to US President Donald Trump saying that the United States should have taken control of the country's crude reserves.
• Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 24 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 24 Jan 2017 -- The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
• Iraq Announces Liberation of Eastern Mosul AFPS 24 Jan 2017 -- After more than 100 days of hard urban combat, Iraqi officials announced the liberation of eastern Mosul today.
• Abadi: Eastern Mosul fully liberated from Daesh terrorists Press TV 24 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has confirmed reports of the complete recapture of eastern Mosul as a large-scale operation goes on to rid the whole city from the Daesh Takfiri terrorists.
• Iraqi forces gear up for western Mosul liberation operation Press TV 24 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi forces have begun preparations for an offensive to purge the Daesh Takfiri terrorists from the western part of Mosul after wresting full control over the eastern part of the strategic city.
• Serial blasts kill six in Iraqi capital Press TV 24 Jan 2017 -- Chain explosions have killed at least six civilians in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, leaving dozens of others injured.
• UN, partners voice deep concern about 750,000 civilians as battle expands to western Mosul UN News 24 Jan 2017 -- A hundred days after the start of military operations to retake Mosul from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) militants, humanitarian partners are expressing deep concern about the plight of the estimated 750,000 civilians who are currently living in the western sections of the city where fighting is expected to start in coming weeks.
• Iraq: East Mosul Free of IS Control VOA 24 Jan 2017 -- The Iraqi government says its security forces have taken complete control of eastern Mosul from the Islamic State group, more than 100 days after the fight for Mosul began in October.
• ISIL on Run in Eastern Mosul, Pentagon Spokesman Says AFPS 23 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi security forces are finishing clearing operations in eastern Mosul while Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant fighters have ceased fighting and are on the run, Pentagon Press Operations Director Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said today.
• Counter-ISIL Strikes Target Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 23 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Iraqi forces take full control of eastern Mosul Press TV 23 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi forces have liberated all of eastern Mosul, pushing Daesh terrorists out of the last district they held east of the Tigris River.
• U.S., Coalition Continue Strikes Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 22 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Iraqi forces regain control of two more neighborhoods in east Mosul Press TV 22 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi government forces have managed to liberate two more neighborhoods in Mosul from the clutches of the Daesh Takfiri terrorists as they try to push the extremists out of their last urban stronghold in the country.
• With East Mosul Taken, Iraqis See Tough Fight For Western Part RFE/RL 22 Jan 2017 -- With east Mosul mainly cleared of Islamic State (IS) fighters, Iraqi officers are preparing for the next phase of the battle for Iraq's second-largest city.
• Iraqi forces make fresh territorial gains against Daesh in Mosul Press TV 21 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi government forces have registered more territorial gains in Mosul as they are battling in joint operations with volunteer fighters and Kurdish Peshmerga forces to push Daesh Takfiri terrorists out of their last urban stronghold in the Arab country.
• Inherent Resolve Strikes Target ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 21 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Coalition Strikes Destroy ISIL Boats Fleeing From East Mosul AFPS 21 Jan 2017 -- In three days of operations that began Jan. 18, coalition forces struck 90 watercraft and three barges on the Tigris River in Mosul, Iraq, U.S. Central Command officials reported today.
• Counter-ISIL Strikes Hit Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 20 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Iraqi army forces recapture more areas from Daesh in Mosul Press TV 20 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi government forces have regained control of more areas in the eastern and northern sides of Mosul in northern Iraq, as fierce clashes continued against the Takfiri Daesh militants in their last urban stronghold in the crisis-ridden Arab country.
• Iraqi Kurdistan Leader Hopes US Under Trump to Fight Terrorism More Effectively Sputnik 20 Jan 2017 -- The president of Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq expressed hope that the Donald Trump administration will fight terrorism better.
• Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 19 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Secretary Carter and Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 19 Jan 2017 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
• Most Daesh commanders in Mosul killed in battles: Iraqi general Press TV 19 Jan 2017 -- A senior Iraqi general says most Daesh commanders in Mosul have been killed in battles with armed forces over the past three months.
• U.S., Coalition Continue Strikes Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 18 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Airmen deliver aid to refugees in northern Iraq AFNS 18 Jan 2017 -- Reservists from the 315th Airlift Wing delivered humanitarian aid here Jan. 13 while also conducting a multifaceted training mission; the aid is bound for refugee camps in northern Iraq.
• Security forces free large area in Iraq's Mosul Press TV 18 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi security forces have declared the liberation of the Left Coast area in the east of the city of Mosul, in a major advancement in the larger-scale operations to free the entire city from Daesh terrorists.
• Iraqi Forces Say IS Destroyed Historic Tomb of Jonah in Mosul VOA 18 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi forces battling so-called Islamic State (IS) fighters this week made a grim discovery in a Mosul neighborhood, confirming reports from 2014 that the group had leveled the shrine that is said to have housed the tomb of the prophet Jonah, a key figure in the Judaic, Christian and Islamic religions.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Col. Dorrian via teleconference from Baghdad, Iraq DoD 17 Jan 2017 -- Presenter: Colonel John Dorrian, Operation Inherent Resolve Spokesman
• Counter-ISIL Strikes Continue in Syria, Iraq AFPS 17 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 17 Jan 2017-- The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
• Iraqi Forces Liberate Mosul University From a Deeply Entrenched ISIL AFPS 17 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi security forces this week have continued steady progress against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, including the liberation of Mosul University, a sprawling complex on the northeast side of Iraq's second-largest city where the enemy was deeply entrenched, the Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman said today.
• Iraqi forces liberate more Mosul areas from terrorists' grip Press TV 17 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi forces have managed to retake control of several areas in Mosul as part of a large-scale military operation to purge the Daesh Takfiri terrorists from the strategic northern city.
• Capturing Mosul Solidified Islamic State. Losing It Could Break It. RFE/RL 17 Jan 2017 -- The dawn of the new year has unsurprisingly witnessed global media turn toward the incoming U.S. administration with an intensity bordering on the obsessive. Cabinet confirmations, Russia's alleged hacking activities, and intelligence agency squabbles now dominate international headlines.
• Iraqi CTS commander: 90% of Mosul liberated from Daesh Press TV 16 Jan 2017 -- A high ranking commander in Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) says that around 90 percent of eastern Mosul has been purged of its Daeshi occupiers.
• Iraqi forces battling Daesh make further gains in Mosul Press TV 16 Jan 2017 -- Members of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) have made further advances against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the strategic northern city of Mosul, pushing extremists out of three more eastern districts.
• Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 14 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Turkey Completes Building Wall on Borders With Syria, Iraq Sputnik 14 Jan 2017 -- Turkey finished building concrete wall along the state's border with Syria and Iraq for security reasons, local media reported Saturday, citing the Turkish General Staff.
• Iraqi forces make more territorial gains against Daesh in, around Mosul Press TV 14 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi army forces have achieved a string of swift territorial gains in and around Mosul as they are joined by allied fighters and Kurdish Peshmerga forces in a multi-pronged operation to push Daesh terrorists out of their last urban stronghold in the country.
• Iraqi forces fully recapture Mosul University from Daesh: Source Press TV 14 Jan 2017 -- Forces with the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) have fully liberated the Mosul University, in a key advance against the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group in the strategic northern city.
• Iraqi Forces Retake Mosul University Campus VOA 14 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi forces have secured the sprawling Mosul University campus after a battle with Islamic State militants, officials said Saturday.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Pentagon Press Secretary Cook and Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense Slotkin in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 13 Jan 2017 -- Presenter: Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook; Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Elissa Slotkin
• Coalition Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 13 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• DoD Officials Hail Iraqi Forces' Progress in Eastern Mosul AFPS 13 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi security forces today reached key buildings in eastern Mosul and raised the Iraqi flag there; an event that U.S. defense officials hailed as important progress in liberating the city from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
• Iraqi Forces Secure Key Buildings in East Mosul AFPS 13 Jan 2017 -- The Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service today raised the Iraqi flag above the Nineveh governorate and counsel buildings at Mosul University on the east side of the city, according to a Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve news release.
• Iraqi Forces Advancing in Mosul, Entering University Campus Sputnik 13 Jan 2017 -- The Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (ICTS) forces entered the campus of Mosul University during the operation to retake Mosul from the Daesh terrorist group, according to media reports.
• Over 144,500 Iraqis Displaced Amid Operation to Liberate Mosul From Daesh Sputnik 13 Jan 2017 -- 12,354 people have been displaced in the past week alone from their homes in Mosul, according to the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM).
• Iraq: Thousands displaced from Mosul in 'desperate' need of life-saving aid, UN agency reports UN News 13 Jan 2017 -- Since the start of the Iraqi military operation to retake Mosul in October last year, more than 144,500 people have been displaced and a majority of them are in desperate need of live-saving humanitarian assistance, the United Nations migration agency has warned.
• US 'Thrilled' With Iraqi Progress in Mosul VOA 13 Jan 2017 -- U.S. officials are hailing the latest push by Iraqi forces into Mosul, confirming reports that a key government building has been retaken from Islamic State fighters.
• Military Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 12 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Violence killed over 16,000 Iraqi civilians in 2016: Research group Press TV 12 Jan 2017 -- A research group says violence left 16,361 civilians dead last year in Iraq, which has been hit by a campaign of death and destruction perpetrated by Takfiri Daesh terrorists over the past few years.
• Iraqi Hashad Sha'abi fighters gearing up for Mosul operation Press TV 12 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units are reportedly moving their heavy military equipment and armored vehicles to the western flank of Mosul in preparation from an anti-Daesh offensive.
• Mosul Civilians Sift Through Rubble as Coalition Takes Fiercely Held Neighborhoods VOA 12 Jan 2017 -- "When we got out of the house, we ran. A sniper's bullet nearly hit my aunt's foot," says Nouradine, a former tile worker in a tiny grocery store in Mosul.
• Counter-ISIL Strikes Continue in Syria, Iraq AFPS 11 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Col. Sylvia via Teleconference from Baghdad, Iraq DoD 11 Jan 2017 -- Presenter: Army Colonel Brett Sylvia, commander, Task Force Strike, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve
• Iraqis Liberate 70-80 Percent of East Mosul AFPS 11 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi fighters, supported by the U.S.-led coalition formed to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, have retaken 70 to 80 percent of eastern Mosul from the terrorists, Task Force Strike Commander Army Col. Brett Sylvia said here today.
• Iraqi forces in control of 80% of eastern Mosul: Special forces spokesman Press TV 11 Jan 2017 -- Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) says government forces have liberated at least 80 percent of eastern Mosul from the grip of Takfiri Daesh militants as part of a major anti-terror operation to retake the whole city.
• Humanitarian crisis in Mosul could outlive Iraqi military operations, senior UN official warns UN News 11 Jan 2017 -- The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq, Lise Grande, reported today on the conditions in Mosul, a city witnessing one of the largest urban military operations since the Second World War, warning that a proper humanitarian response, conditions that created the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) could remain.
• Islamic State Tactics Degrading as Iraqis Take More of Mosul VOA 11 Jan 2017 -- Islamic State (IS) fighters have placed bombs on trucks and even tiny, flying drones to attack Iraqi forces battling to retake Mosul. But these battlefield tactics are becoming less frequent and less effective, a top U.S. commander in Iraq said Wednesday.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Secretary Carter and Gen. Dunford in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 10 Jan 2016 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
• Coalition Targets ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 10 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Daesh car bomb attacks drop sharply in Mosul: Iraqi Cmdr. Press TV 10 Jan 2017 -- The number of car bomb attacks by Daesh Takfiri terrorists in the Iraqi city of Mosul has fallen sharply, signifying the weakening of the group, a top Iraqi commander says.
• Daesh Takfiris cut off water to thousands of civilians in Mosul Press TV 10 Jan 2017 -- Daesh terrorists have cut off water supply to dozens of liberated areas in Mosul to keep civilians under control as the Iraqi army and allied fighters renew their push to expel the extremists out of their last urban stronghold.
• PKK Forces Exiting Iraqi City of Sinjar Vow 'to Ensure Stability in Region' Sputnik 10 Jan 2017 -- A leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Murat Karayilan, has promised to withdraw his troops from the Sinjar area in northern Iraq, saying that he will be continuing negotiations with the region's ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). Sputnik spoke with prefect of Sinjar, Mehma Khelil in an interview.
• Hundreds from western Mosul getting medical attention amid fight to retake Iraqi city UN News 10 Jan 2017 -- Nearly 700 people have been moved to hospitals from the frontlines in Mosul, Iraq, as the United Nations and partners are working to scale up humanitarian efforts for thousands of people fleeing the fighting between the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) and Iraqi forces.
• UN: More Iraqi Civilians Fleeing Mosul as Military Operations Intensify VOA 10 Jan 2017 -- The United Nations reports increasing numbers of civilians are fleeing Mosul as Iraqi military operations to wrest the city from Islamic State (IS) control intensify.
• Counter-ISIL Strikes Hit Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 09 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Counter-ISIL Forces Moving to Liberate Mosul, Raqqa AFPS 09 Jan 2017 -- The Defense Department believes the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's days are numbered in Iraq's second-largest city of Mosul, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said here today.
• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 09 Jan 2017 -- The renewed counter-Daesh offensive to liberate Mosul in Iraq, coupled with the advance of forces in Syria, has resulted in a busy period for Royal Air Force aircraft, providing close air support and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance activity as part of the coalition air campaign.
• Iraqi govt. forces gain more ground against Daesh terrorists in Mosul Press TV 09 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi government forces have managed to regain control over a number of neighborhoods in Mosul as they try to flush Daesh Takfiri militants out of the strategic northern city in joint operations with allied fighters and Kurdish Peshmerga forces.
• Nineveh operation in final phase: Iraqi premier Press TV 09 Jan 2017 -- Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi says the counter-terrorism push against Daesh in the northwestern province of Nineveh is in its final phase.
• Mosul Operation Displaces Almost 138,000 People - IOM Sputnik 09 Jan 2017 -- Some 138,000 people have been displaced by the Iraqi military operation against the Daesh terrorist group in the city of Mosul, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Monday.
• Iraqi Forces Punch to Tigris, as IS Mounts Attacks Elsewhere in Iraq VOA 09 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi leaders say they doubt their forces will oust Islamic State fighters from Mosul – the terror group's last major urban stronghold in Iraq – before Easter, despite a spurt of progress in recent days that saw the troops reach the Tigris River for the first time in the battle for the city.
• Iraqi Special Forces get to Tigris River in militant-held Mosul Press TV 08 Jan 2017 -- Members of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) have reached the eastern bank of the Tigris River in Mosul as they along with allied fighters and Kurdish Peshmerga forces try to expel Daesh terrorists from their last urban stronghold in the country.
• Turkey's prime minister meets with Iraq's Kurdistan leader Press TV 08 Jan 2017 -- Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has met with Masoud Barzani, the president of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), in Erbil to discuss a range of regional issues.
• U.S., Coalition Continue Strikes Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 08 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Counter-ISIL Strikes Continue in Syria, Iraq AFPS 07 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Iraqi Special Forces liberate 4 more districts in eastern Mosul Press TV 07 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi forces retake four neighborhoods east of Mosul, as part of the major operation to liberate the flashpoint northern city form Daesh terrorists.
• Iranian official welcomes Turkey's decision to withdraw troops from northern Iraq Press TV 07 Jan 2017 -- A senior Iranian official has welcomed Turkey's decision to pull out its forces from Iraq and respect the Arab country's territorial integrity as a positive move.
• Turkey agrees to withdraw forces from northern Iraq: PM Abadi Press TV 07 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi says his administration has reached an agreement with Turkey over Baghdad's demand for the withdrawal of Turkish military forces from a camp in the north of Iraq.
• Iraqi PM Says Turkey Agrees to Withdraw Troops From Northern Iraq Sputnik 07 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi said Saturday that Ankara had agreed to withdraw its troops from northern Iraq, after talks with his Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim.
• Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 06 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Car bomb explosion kills 5, injures 13 in northwest Baghdad Press TV 06 Jan 2017 -- Security officials in Iraq say at least five civilians have lost their lives when a powerful bomb explosion ripped through a commercial district in the capital Baghdad.
• Iraqi govt. forces make fresh gains in militant-held Mosul Press TV 06 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi army soldiers, backed by fighters from allied Popular Mobilization Units, have made further advances into Mosul as they seek to drive out Daesh Takfiri terrorists from their last urban stronghold in the violence-wracked Arab country.
• Iraq forces regain control of villages in Anbar Press TV 06 Jan 2017 -- The Iraqi army has liberated seven villages in Anbar Province close to the border with Syria from Daesh control.
• Iraqi Army Drive on Mosul Creates 330,000 More Displaced Persons - UN Spokesman Sputnik 06 Jan 2017 -- 330,000 people were displaced by military operations in the Mosul area in Iraq, according to UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
• Military Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 05 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 05 Jan 2017 -- Presenter: Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook
• DoD Spokesman: U.S. Airstrikes Weaken Al-Qaida, ISIL Terrorists AFPS 05 Jan 2017 -- A series of precision U.S. airstrikes against al-Qaida operatives this week in northwestern Syria's Idlib province killed more than 20 militants and destroyed eight vehicles and nine structures, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters today.
• Iraqi popular forces reject Amnesty war crimes allegations Press TV 05 Jan 2017 -- Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), known as Hashd al-Sha'abi, have dismissed a recent Amnesty International report that accused them of using foreign arms to allegedly commit war crimes, urging Baghdad to file a legal case against the organization over slander.
• Iraqi forces in control of 70 percent of eastern Mosul: Cmdr. Press TV 05 Jan 2017 -- The head of Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) says Iraqi forces have managed to wrest control of up to 70 percent of eastern Mosul in their push to purge the whole city from Daesh terrorists.
• Iraqi forces launch major offensive to recapture western towns Press TV 05 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi army soldiers, backed by fighters from allied Popular Mobilization Units, have started an offensive to retake towns and areas in the troubled western province of Anbar from Takfiri Daesh terrorists.
• Daesh Stops Paying Mosul Fighters Amid Iraq Gov't Forces' Renewed Offensive Sputnik 05 Jan 2017 -- Daesh terrorist group stopped payment of monthly wages to its fighters in Iraq's second-largest city of Mosul, amid Iraqi government forces continued its offensive, according to local media.
• Rights Group: Iraqi Militias Used Foreign-Supplied Weapons to Commit War Crimes VOA 05 Jan 2017 -- An Amnesty International report released Thursday said militias allied with Iraqi troops are committing war crimes with arms provided to the Iraqi military by at least 16 countries, including the U.S., Russia and Iran.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Colonel Dorrian via teleconference from Baghdad, Iraq DoD 04 Jan 2017 -- Presenter: Colonel John Dorrian, Operation Inherent Resolve Spokesman
• Coalition Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 04 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• U.S.-Led Coalition Airstrikes Eliminate Key ISIL Leaders in Syria, Iraq AFPS 04 Jan 2017 -- U.S.-led coalition airstrikes in Iraq and Syria targeting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have recently killed several prominent leaders of that organization, Air Force Col. John Dorrian, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman, said today during a news briefing.
• Iraq forces gain more ground in eastern Mosul Press TV 04 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi forces have managed to liberate another neighborhood from the grip of Takfiri Daesh terrorists in the eastern part of Mosul, as they continue mop-up operations in the already recaptured areas of the strategic city.
• Iraq discovers 80 bodies at Camp Speicher carnage site Press TV 04 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi forensic specialists have reportedly found the remains of scores of victims of the June 2014 massacre by Takfiri Daesh terrorists at an air force camp in the country's north-central province of Salahuddin.
• Coalition Targets ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 03 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook and Acting Under Secretary of Defense Peter Levine in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 03 Jan 2017 -- Presenter: Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook
• US military considers expanded use of cyber, space weapons against ISIL Press TV 03 Jan 2017 -- US military chiefs are prepared to give incoming President Donald Trump the option to intensify the fight against the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group, including the possibility of using secret cyber-warfare and space weapons, according to the US Air Force chief of staff.
• Terrorists killed, wounded 1,452 Iraqis in December 2016 IRNA 03 Jan 2017 -- A total of 386 Iraqi civilians were killed and another 1,066 were injured in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in Iraq in December 2016*, according to casualty figures recorded by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).
• Nouri al-Maliki: Iraq ready to stop post-Daesh seditions IRNA 03 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi Vice President Nouri al-Maliki referred to developing ties with Iran and enforcing a strong front for foiling post-Daesh seditions as the aims of his trip to Tehran.
• Iraqi PM urges global support to eliminate Daesh Press TV 03 Jan 2017 -- The Iraqi prime minister has called for worldwide intelligence assistance to eliminate the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group that is wreaking havoc in the Middle Eastern country as well as elsewhere across the globe.
• Iraqi forces liberate 3 eastern Mosul districts from terrorits' grip Press TV 03 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi forces have managed to wrest control of three neighborhoods in the eastern part of the city of Mosul, where pro-government fighters are conducting a major anti-terror operation.
• Violence killed nearly 7,000 Iraqi civilians in 2016: UN Press TV 03 Jan 2017 -- The United Nations says at least 6,878 Iraqi civilians lost their lives last year due to violence perpetrated by Takfiri terrorists in the Arab country.
• Iraqi forces 'kill 76 Daesh members in Mosul' Press TV 03 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi security forces have reportedly slain as many as 76 Daesh terrorists during an ongoing push to liberate the northern city of Mosul, the Takfiri terror group's last urban stronghold in Iraq.
• Iraq: 13,000 people flee Mosul over five days as anti-terrorist operations intensify UN News 03 Jan 2017 -- More than 13,000 people have fled Mosul in just five days since 29 December, as the second phase of military operations to retake the Iraqi city from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) terrorists has apparently begun, a United Nations spokesperson said today.
• 'Positive indicator' in Iraq's Mosul, US focused 'on the east side' Press TV 02 Jan 2017 -- An American general in charge of the ground forces for the so-called US-led coalition against Daesh (ISIL) speaks of a "positive indicator" in the fight against the Takfiri terrorists in control of Iraq's second largest city.
• At least 7 Iraqi police forces killed in attacks in Samarra Press TV 02 Jan 2017 -- At least seven Iraqi police officers have been killed when militants detonated their explosive belts in two police stations in the holy city of Samarra.
• French president in Iraq to visit troops, hold talks with officials Press TV 02 Jan 2017 -- French President Francois Hollande is in Iraq to visit his country's troops deployed to the Arab state as part of a US-led coalition purportedly fighting Daesh terrorists.
• Bomb explosion kills 35 in Baghdad's Sadr City Press TV 02 Jan 2017 -- A car bomb has exploded north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, leaving at least 35 people dead and dozens more wounded.
• Dozens Killed in Suicide Car Bomb Attack in Baghdad Sputnik 02 Jan 2017 -- At least 32 people were killed in a suicide car bomb blast in the Iraqi capital, AFP news agency reported citing police. However, local Al Sumaraya TV channel reported that the number of casualties in the attack is at least 20.
• Iraq: UN envoy strongly condemns Baghdad bombings that kill many civilians UN News 02 Jan 2017 -- The United Nations envoy for Iraq has strongly condemned today's triple bombings in Baghdad in which large numbers of civilians were killed and injured.
• Liberation of Syrian Raqqa to Be Next Step After Iraqi Mosul Freed - Hollande Sputnik 02 Jan 2017 -- The liberation of the Syrian city of Raqqa, currently held by the Daesh terrorist group, will be the next target of the international coalition, French President Francois Hollande, currently on a visit to Iraqi capital of Baghdad, said Monday.
• In Iraq, Hollande Thanks French Troops for Fighting Terror VOA 02 Jan 2017 -- French President Francois Hollande vowed that Islamic State will soon be beaten. He spoke during a one-day visit to Iraq, the same day a suicide bomber struck a busy Baghdad market, killing at least 32 people.
• Coalition Strikes Continue Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 01 Jan 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• ISIL Using Protected Sites to Attack Iraqi Forces AFPS 01 Jan 2017 -- At the request of Iraqi forces, the coalition struck a mortar tube operated by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists who were firing on Iraqi forces in east Mosul today, according to a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve news release.
• Iraqi govt. forces control 60% of eastern Mosul: Commander Press TV 01 Jan 2017 -- A high-ranking Iraqi military commander says government forces continue to make advances in their joint operations with pro-government fighters to liberate Mosul from the grip of Daesh terrorists, and managed to establish control over more than a half of the eastern side of the strategic northern city.
• Iraqi forces liberate three more neighborhoods in eastern Mosul Press TV 01 Jan 2017 -- Iraqi Special Operations Forces have regained full control of three more neighborhoods in Mosul as they are trying to flush Takfiri Daesh militants out of their last urban stronghold in the country in joint operations with pro-government fighters.
• Multiple casualties as bombing rocks Najaf neighborhood Press TV 01 Jan 2017 -- A car bomb has exploded in a district of Iraq's Najaf Province, leaving at least six people dead and 22 others wounded.
• US to Resettle Iraqis Victimized by IS VOA 01 Jan 2017 -- The U.S. government is working to permanently resettle hundreds of Iraqis who were victims of Islamic State (IS) violence.