Two bombings hit Baghdad near a market

A person was killed and seven others wounded in two separate incidents in Baghdad on Thursday, a security source said. However, Human Rights Watch said on Thursday that Iraqi authorities had issued arrest warrants against at least 15 lawyers for belonging to an organization calling for their former work in the organization's courts.

A civilian was killed and seven others were wounded in two separate explosions in Baghdad on Thursday, according to Iraq Gate News. A security source told Iraq Gate News that two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) exploded today in western and southern Baghdad, leaving one dead and seven others injured.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source added that a security force arrived to the explosion scene and cordoned it off. The two injured were taken to a nearby hospital and the body was taken to the forensic medicine department. 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.

Bombings and armed attacks are seen on almost a daily basis against security members, paramilitary groups and civilians since the Iraqi government launched a wide-scale campaign to retake IS-occupied areas in 2016. More than 500 Iraqis were killed and injured during July due to violence and armed conflicts, according to a monthly count by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI).

 Iraqi authorities have issued arrest warrants for at least 15 private lawyers since July 24, 2017, on charges of Islamic State (also known as ISIS) affiliation for their past work in ISIS courts, Human Rights Watch said today. While lawyers are not immune from prosecution if they engage in criminal activity, they should not be prosecuted for doing their job as lawyers, nor should the authorities associate them with their clients’ cause simply because they represented them.

All were representing ISIS suspects facing trial in Iraqi courts at the time of their arrest, raising concerns among local lawyers that the warrants were issued to intimidate lawyers defending ISIS suspects. One senior judge told Human Rights Watch that since the warrants were issued, private lawyers had stopped taking cases of any defendants that they believed to be ISIS-affiliated, only taking cases of people they thought were innocent. As a result, only state-appointed lawyers are taking on the cases of those believed to be ISIS-affiliated. Based on interviews with four lawyers, there are serious concerns that the state-appointed lawyers are not providing a robust defense of these clients.

“The authorities should immediately explain why they are detaining and charging these lawyers,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “They need to make it clear that Iraqi lawyers should not be afraid to defend ISIS suspects.”

The 15 lawyers represented suspects before the Nineveh governorate’s counterterrorism court. The court has jurisdiction over cases of people currently held in the governate, which includes the city of Mosul, who are suspected of ISIS affiliation. The court currently operates in the town of al-Hamdaniya, also known as Qaraqosh or Bakhdida. A senior judge told Human Rights Watch researchers when they visited the court in July that the court was working through about 2,000 cases involving people suspected of being ISIS members or affiliated with the group.

Nine personnel of the Shia-led paramilitary troops were killed, while six others were wounded in an armed attack in western Anbar, BasNews reported.

“Islamic State militants attacked the defense line in Okashat region using all kinds of weapons, leaving nine personnel of al-Hashd al-Shaabi [Popular Mobilization Units] killed and six others profoundly wounded. Three of the troops’ vehicles were destroyed,” a source from the Anbar Operations Command said on Thursday.

“PMUs troops and Iraqi military units have been deployed at the defense line, which is near to the residential area in Okashat, for almost three years,” the source added. “Frequent IS attacks have been seen in areas of Rutba, Okashat and the regions on border with Syria, in west of Anbar, over the past few days.”

Anbar’s western towns of Anah, Qaim and Rawa are still held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic Caliphate. Iraqi troops were able to return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them.

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. More than 500 Iraqis were killed and injured during the month of July due to violence and armed conflicts, according to a monthly count by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI).

Nine personnel of the Shia-led paramilitary troops were killed, while six others were wounded in an armed attack in western Anbar, BasNews reported.

“Islamic State militants attacked the defense line in Okashat region using all kinds of weapons, leaving nine personnel of al-Hashd al-Shaabi [Popular Mobilization Units] killed and six others profoundly wounded. Three of the troops’ vehicles were destroyed,” a source from the Anbar Operations Command said on Thursday.

“PMUs troops and Iraqi military units have been deployed at the defense line, which is near to the residential area in Okashat, for almost three years,” the source added. “Frequent IS attacks have been seen in areas of Rutba, Okashat and the regions on border with Syria, in west of Anbar, over the past few days.”

Anbar’s western towns of Anah, Qaim and Rawa are still held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic Caliphate. Iraqi troops were able to return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them.

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.