The Iraqi government launched another round of airstrikes against an ISIS-held city today, this time pounding the area in and around Fallujah, one of the first cities to fall to ISIS way back in January.
As with other recent strikes, the toll was entirely civilian, at least according to Health Ministry officials, who confirmed 19 slain civilians, including a number of women and children, and 38 wounded civilians.
Even more disconcertingly, the airstrikes were not the normal US-made missiles, but rather were makeshift barrel bombs rolled out of helicopters, Syria-style. Such attacks by Syria’s military have been repeatedly condemned for their inaccurate nature, and tendency to kill large numbers of civilians.
It’s the second major civilian incident in as many days, after Iraqi warplanes pounded Hawija in the north yesterday, killing 10 civilians, including three children.