Iraqi soldiers are battling to drive the Islamic State out of Fallujah. But just beyond the edges of the flashpoint city are Shiite militias that many Iraqis fear could undermine the campaign against the radical group. – Washington Post
Iraqi officials say government forces have discovered a mass grave containing the remains of around 400 people near Fallujah during their push to retake the city from the extremist Islamic State (IS) group. – Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Iraqi forces secured the southern edge of the Islamic State group stronghold of Fallujah on Sunday, two weeks after the launch of an operation to recapture the city, the Iraqi special forces commander overseeing the operation said. – Associated Press
An international aid organization says the Islamic State group is targeting civilians and shooting them as they try to flee the fighting between Iraqi government forces and IS militants in Fallujah, west of Baghdad. – Associated Press
The leader of the largest Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitary group has criticized a lack of "precise planning" in war operations to capture Falluja, the stronghold of Islamic State near Baghdad. - Reuters
Peter Feaver writes: The gruesome fight to retake Fallujah and Mosul is a painful reminder that a robust policy debate requires a prudent assessment of all of the relevant costs: the costs of action and the costs of inaction. – Foreign Policy’s Shadow Government
As Iraqi security forces tighten their grip on the outskirts of militant-held Fallujah allegations of human rights violations are surfacing on both sides of the operation. – Associated Press
FPI Visting Scholar Mark Moyar writes: While the Fallujah offensive is probably too far gone for the United States to deprive Iran of the credit for its recapture, the United States does have an opportunity to regain some of its prestige by stepping up its assistance to the Iraqi government in securing Baghdad. Increasing that assistance, though, will require an additional commitment of U.S. troops. – Foreign Policy Initiative