Iraqi halts airstrikes on civilian areas

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Saturday that he had ordered his air force to stop strikes on civilians as the country’s security forces coordinate attacks with the United States on the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

“I have ordered the Iraqi Air Force to halt shelling of civilian areas even in those towns controlled by ISIS,” al-Abadi said on his Twitter account.

{mosads}The Shiite prime minister, who was officially sworn in earlier this week, said he issued the order on Thursday, according to Reuters. Al-Abadi met with Secretary of State John Kerry a day earlier in Baghdad. 

Sunni tribal leaders had demanded that al-Abadi suspend military action on civilians areas, which they said would be one condition for their willingness to support Iraq’s new government, Reuters’ report said.

United Nations’ representative in Iraq, Nickolay Mladenov, had urged for Iraq to protect civilians as U.S. and Iraq’s security forces ramp up military operations.

“Protection of civilians and ensuring their safety and security is a paramount priority for the United Nations,” Mladenov said.

The U.S. has already launched more than 150 airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq, and President Obama said the U.S. is prepared to launch them in Syria. He has already authorized surveillance flights over Syria to prepare for the expanded operations.