IRAQ EVENTS IN BRIEF 12/26

Baghdad

- Around 9 a.m., a roadside bomb targeted an American patrol at Bab Al-Muatham ( north Baghdad ) . No casualties recorded but some damage to one of the convoy’s vehicles.

- Police found ( 4 ) unidentified dead bodies in the following neighborhoods in Baghdad: ( 2 ) were found in east Baghdad ( Risafa bank) ; 1 in Nahrwan and 1 in Palestine street. While ( 2 ) were found in west Baghdad ( Karkh bank) ; 1 in Doura and ( 1 ) in Amil

Diyala

- Around 2 p.m., Iraqi army found 17 dead bodies buried at Hadeed area ( 10 km west of Baquba ) .

- Around 5.30 p.m., gunmen attacked an army check point at Buhriz in Kanan ( 10 km north of Baquba ) killing two soldiers and injuring nine others.

Kirkuk

- Wednesday afternoon, gunmen kidnapped Hamid A.Abdul Latif , a member of Democratic Party of Kurdistan in front of his house at Jalwla district (110 km north east Baquba )

Baghdad

Police found 3 bodies in Baghdad today in the following neighborhoods (1 body in Zafaraniyah, 1 body in Sadr city and 1 body in Doura

Salahuddin

25 people were killed and 80 others at least were injured when a suicide car bomb attacked Sahwa (awakening) check point in the entrance of Al Nafet neighborhood west Biji city north of Baghdad at 9,30 am police said. A part of a housing complex was destroyed by the explosion.

A car bomb exploded near Tikrit bridges in Tikrit city early morning. No casualties were reported.

Iraqi police in Samraa city north of Baghdad said that 5 people were killed and 4 others were wounded when a US army helicopter opened fire downtown Samraa city.

The source said that the helicopter opened the fire targeting three insurgents who were planting a roadside bomb in Al Dhubat neighborhood downtown the city.

The three men were hit directly while another two civilians were killed and four others including a woman were injured.

The source said that the US troops took the bodies to a center for the US troops. The US army said in a press release that its troops targeted an alleged senior level foreign terrorist facilitator for al-Qaeda in Iraq and three other terrorists.

Diyala

Two policemen were killed when gunmen exploded a reconstructed police station downtown Baquba city around 4,30 am.

At 3 am morning, the US troops raided the office of the Iraqi Red Crescent in Sab’aa Nisan neighborhood (the 7th of April neighborhood) downtown Baquba city arresting 3 guards.

While doing a walking patrol in the area, the US troops arrested a member of the local committees. After a while, the US troops killed the man. Another member of the local committees who was in the scene was killed also by the US troops, Iraqi police said.

The US army said in a press release that his troops were attacked while conducting a raid early morning and the forces engaged killing two criminals arresting four.

4 people were killed including Farhan Al Bihrizawi, a member of 20th revolution brigade and 20 others were wounded including a woman and 4 children when a suicide bomber attacked the funeral ceremonies of two members of the local committees who were killed earlier today.

Mosul

The driver and one of the guards of Mosul governor Duraid Kashmola were injured in an IED explosion that targeted Kashmola’s convoy in al-Ghabat area (forests area)northwest Mosul city today afternoon.Kashmola was accompanied by the mayor of Mosul city

Courtesy McClatchy Newspapers