Timeline
January 2017
1 January 2017 Istanbul nightclub attack: One gunman killed 39 individuals in a Reina Nightclub in Istanbul during 2016–2017 New Year eve celebrations. Islamic State militants attacked a police checkpoint near the southern Iraqi city of Najaf, killing seven policemen and wounding 17 others including civilians. Two security officers were killed in a double suicide bombing after they stopped a pair of suspicious people shortly after midnight on New Year's Eve. Iraqi forces continued their advance on 1 January. The military announced that it had captured a part of the Karama district while a federal police officer stated that they had taken near complete control of Intissar and Siha districts, and were clearing the Salam district. CTS linked up with Rapid Response Division during the day at the edge of al-Intissar and al-Quds. Staff Lieutenant General Abdulwahab al-Saadi, a top CTS commander, stated that Iraqi forces had captured more than 60% of east Mosul. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for a shooting attack it said killed a Jordanian soldier. 2 January January 2017 Baghdad bombings: A series of car bombings in Sadr City and other parts of Baghdad killed at least 70 people and injured more than 100 others. Sabah al-Numani, the spokesman of CTS, stated that they were clearing the remaining militants in North Karama. ISIL meanwhile cut off a strategic road linking Mosul and Baghdad. The group also shelled Shirqat after attacking a military barracks near Baiji and seizing weapons. Per the mayor of Shirqat, they had seized 3 checkpoints on the main road between the city and Baiji. Iraqi authorities later stated that they had regained control of the road. The Turkish military stated on 2 January that 22 ISIL fighters were killed in Turkish and Russian airstrikes on al-Bab, Bzagah and Taduf since the previous day. On 3 January, it stated that 18 ISIL fighters were killed in airstrikes while Russian jets hit Deir Qaq, located to the southeast of al-Bab. United States Department of Defense spokesman Peter Cook meanwhile stated that it had assisted Turkish forces by providing it with air cover a week earlier, but did not carry out any airstrikes. Clashes re-erupted on 2 January 2017 around al-Sharifah and the Tiyas T-4 Airbase, in addition to the Fourth Station. Warplanes later targeted the area around the airbase later in the day. Clashes continued over the next several days. 3 January Gunmen wearing suicide vests attacked two police stations in the central Iraqi city of Samarra, killing at least 7 policemen. 4 January Three girl suicide bombers were killed while attempting to detonate their vests at market in the northeastern Nigerian city of Madagali. Local officials blamed Boko Haram for the attempted attack. A double suicide bombing in Madagali killed 57 people in December 2016. Boko Haram (suspected) United Nations meanwhile stated that civilian casualties had started increasing as they advanced. The Joint Operations Command later announced that the Federal Police and 9th Division had captured Wahda after heavy clashes, bringing them closer to the city center. It also stated that ISIL counter-attacks in southeastern Mosul were repelled, resulting in deaths of about 40 militants and destruction of 7 VBIEDs. Iraqi forces also advanced in al-Salam, Palestine, al-Shaimaa, Domiez and Sumer districts amid heavy clashes. The Federal Police meanwhile announced the killing of Abu Marawan al-Hadithi, an ISIL leader. Lt.-Gen. Ra'ed Shaker also stated that Iraqi forces had cleared al-Wahda, al-Moallemin and Sumer districts and had captured the Mosul-Kirkuk road. The United States Department of Defense and the anti-ISIL coalition, meanwhile stated that American advisers had entered Mosul along with Iraqi forces. It was reported that the planned Syrian Army counteroffensive for retaking Palmyra had been postponed, and it was also reported that ISIL's nearly month-long offensive on the Tiyas T-4 Airbase had ended, after sustaining heavy casualties and gaining little territory after mid-December 2016. It also stated that ISIL withdrew from some of the sites they captured in the western Palmyra countryside, with some additional reasons for the ISIL withdrawal being due to the concurrent SDF offensive on Ar-Raqqah, and ISIL's ongoing offensive on the enclave of Deir ez-Zor. The Turkish military stated that 6 militants were killed by the rebels and TSK and 104 ISIL targets were destroyed. It also stated that a Turkish soldier was killed and 5 others were injured on the previous day. ISIL was meanwhile reported to have withdrawn its senior fighters to defend Raqqa and Mosul, leaving less experienced members to defend al-Bab.