UN chief Antonio Guterres visited Iraq on Thursday, calling for protecting civilians to be the “absolute priority” as hundreds of thousands are caught up in the battle to retake Mosul. More than 200,000 people have fled west Mosul since the operation to oust the Islamic State group began last month, and officials and witnesses say that air strikes have taken a devastating toll on civilians who remained in the city. “Just arrived in Iraq to focus on the dire humanitarian…

Powerful Shia leader demands changes to electoral law at Baghdad demonstration attended by thousands of supporters. Influential religious leader Muqtada al-Sadr has told thousands of supporters in Iraq's capital, Baghdad, that he will boycott upcoming elections unless the country's electoral law is changed. Supporters of the Shia cleric have repeatedly rallied for changes to the law and the country's electoral committee, which is dominated by affiliates of powerful political parties. If "the law remains ... this means that we will…

More than 65,000 fled their homes in the past two weeks as Iraqi fighters push into the city's densely populated west. Iraqi forces battling ISIS/ISIL faced tough resistance from snipers and mortar rounds on Monday as they tried to advance on Mosul's Old City and a bridge across the Tigris River in their campaign to retake it. Progress was slowed by heavy rain but units were only 100 metres from the Iron Bridge that connects the Old City with the…

The sight and sounds of combat were evident in western Mosul on Tuesday as heavy fighting resumed. As Iraqi government forces continue their offensive to oust the self-proclaimed Islamic State from the northern city, military leaders say it’s only a matter of time till ISIL’s last major stand in the country is crushed. The renewed fighting has focused on a bridge over the River Tigris. Troops advanced to within 100 metres but were slowed by sniper fire from gunmen positioned…

At least 30 people have been killed after two suicide bombers targeted a wedding ceremony just outsdie the Iraqi city of Tikrit. Almost as many people have been seriously wounded. Iraqi security forces cordoned off parts of al Hajaj village, some 20 kilometers (14 miles) north of Tikrit, after twin suicide blasts hit a wedding party late on Wednesday. Local sources reported two further blasts targeting security forces at the scene shortly afterwards. Clashes between security forces and militants in…

Announcement of advance, which some dispute, comes as forces continue targeting ISIL from Tigris River's western side. The Iraqi army says its US-backed forces have captured a bridge that leads to the ISIL-held city centre from the south, in a new push to drive out the armed group also known as ISIS. The army on Monday said the bridge, which it named as "al Hurriya", is the second to be reclaimed. The first was seized in the south during the offensive…

Twelve people, including women and children, are being treated for possible exposure to chemical weapons agents in Mosul, where ISIL is fighting off an offensive by US-backed Iraqi forces, according to the UN. The UN's World Health Organization said in a statement on Saturday that with partners and local health authorities it activated "an emergency response plan to safely treat men, women and children who may be exposed to the highly toxic chemical". Lise Grande, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Iraq, called for an…

Over 28,000 have been forced from their homes since operation to retake western Mosul started on February 19, says UN. Intense battles between Iraqi security forces and ISIL fighters in Mosul are causing increasing numbers of displaced people, with 4,000 civilians fleeing the city each day, according to the United Nations. More than 28,000 people have been forced from their homes since a coalition of US-backed Iraqi forces launched an offensive on February 19 to retake the western sector of…

KUT - Three people were wounded by gunfire as Iraqi forces dispersed a demonstration Tuesday by students who threw stones at the premier during a visit to Kut, officials and witnesses said. A student said demonstrators were wounded when security forces fired to disperse them in the city south of Baghdad. An officer and a doctor confirmed that people were hit by gunfire but did not say who was responsible. The demonstration began as Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited Wasit…

Video evidence of executions and torture stokes Sunni-Shia tension as troops launch final push to retake city from Isis Graphic videos of men in Iraqi security force uniforms carrying out beatings and summary executions on the streets of Mosul have cast a shadow over the campaign to retake the city from Islamic State as prime minister announced the launch of military operations. “We announce the start of a new phase in the operation, we are coming Nineveh to liberate the…