Mass Grave Discovered near Kirkuk; 53 Killed across Iraq

by , March 14, 2015

At least 53 people were killed and 31 were wounded in the latest violence. That includes 19 men discovered in a mass grave near Kirkuk.

The U.S. government is reporting that the Islamic State has lost control of 25 percent of the Iraqi territory it once had dominance over. Iraqi or Kurdish forces have retaken land in Babil, Diyala, Kirkuk, Nineva, and Salah ad Din provinces.

Kurdish forces say they have evidence that a suicide bomber used weaponized chlorine during a Jan. 23 attack in northern Iraq that left about 12 Peshmerga experiencing symptoms.

Although the battle for Tikrit proper is on hold, clashes continue in the surrounding region. Only a few dozen militants are thought left in the city, but they are causing a disproportionate amount of havoc. Two suicide attackers were killed.

A group of about 250 Sunnis from Alam joined the Shi’ite militia Asa’ib ahl al-Haq. They are calling themselves Asa’ib al-Alam. They have learned how to protect their town, while the militia, which is accused of crimes against Sunni civilians, gains good publicity.

Iraqi Turkmen are hoping to have their own forces ready before the operation on Mosul begins.

Kurdish forces continue to battle with militants near Kirkuk.

In Bashir, both militiamen and Peshmerga worked together in intense fighting against militants. Two security members were killed and five were wounded, possibly Turkmen militia fighters.

Nineteen uniformed bodies were found in a mass grave in Shamsa village near Kirkuk.

In Ramadi, two suicide bombers attacked security personnel, killing at least two policemen. At least three people were wounded. Fighting took place afterward. Four militants were killed in clashes, but many more deaths are being reported.

In Baghdad, a blast in the Sabaa al-Bour neighborhood left four dead and 11 wounded.

A militia commander was killed in the Qadisiya suburb.

Eleven soldiers were kidnapped from an army base near Samarra.

At least 16 militants were killed in Garma.

Airstrikes near Hit and Rawa left dozens of militants dead.

The army killed a number of militants in Falluja.

At least 53 people were killed and 31 were wounded in the latest violence. That includes 19 men discovered in a mass grave near Kirkuk.

The U.S. government is reporting that the Islamic State has lost control of 25 percent of the Iraqi territory it once had dominance over. Iraqi or Kurdish forces have retaken land in Babil, Diyala, Kirkuk, Nineva, and Salah ad Din provinces.

Kurdish forces say they have evidence that a suicide bomber used weaponized chlorine during a Jan. 23 attack in northern Iraq that left about 12 Peshmerga experiencing symptoms.

Although the battle for Tikrit proper is on hold, clashes continue in the surrounding region. Only a few dozen militants are thought left in the city, but they are causing a disproportionate amount of havoc. Two suicide attackers were killed.

A group of about 250 Sunnis from Alam joined the Shi’ite militia Asa’ib ahl al-Haq. They are calling themselves Asa’ib al-Alam. They have learned how to protect their town, while the militia, which is accused of crimes against Sunni civilians, gains good publicity.

Iraqi Turkmen are hoping to have their own forces ready before the operation on Mosul begins.

Kurdish forces continue to battle with militants near Kirkuk.

In Bashir, both militiamen and Peshmerga worked together in intense fighting against militants. Two security members were killed and five were wounded, possibly Turkmen militia fighters.

Nineteen uniformed bodies were found in a mass grave in Shamsa village near Kirkuk.

In Ramadi, two suicide bombers attacked security personnel, killing at least two policemen. At least three people were wounded. Fighting took place afterward. Four militants were killed in clashes, but many more deaths are being reported.

In Baghdad, a blast in the Sabaa al-Bour neighborhood left four dead and 11 wounded.

A militia commander was killed in the Qadisiya suburb.

Eleven soldiers were kidnapped from an army base near Samarra.

At least 16 militants were killed in Garma.

Airstrikes near Hit and Rawa left dozens of militants dead.

The army killed a number of militants in Falluja.

Read more by Margaret Griffis