DHAKA: At least 73 people have been killed in Iraqi government air strikes and artillery fire in the western Iraqi cities of Ramadi and Fallujah.

An air strike on a sports field in Ramadi shortly after midnight on Sunday killed at least 50 people and left more than 30 people injured, reports Al Jazeera.

At least 23 people were killed and around 40 wounded after shelling north of Fallujah.

Hospital officials said most of those killed were young men and described them as civilians, a claim disputed by Iraqi security officials, who said those targeted were members of the Islamic State (IS) of Iraq and Syria group.

Al Jazeera’s Jane Arraf, reporting from Baghdad, said sources in the city had accused the Iraqi government of using barrel bombs.

BDST: 1637 HRS, JULY 05, 2015
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