SUNDAY APRIL 20, 2008
Updated at 6:30 p.m. EDT, April 20, 2008
Early reports from Sadr
City and Baghdad suggest
that fighting between the Mahdi army and security forces has increased. Meanwhile,
a mass grave has been found near Muqdadiyah. At least 75 Iraqis were killed
and another 58 were wounded in violence across Iraq. No Coalition deaths were
reported.
Updated at 12:30 a.m. EDT, April 21, 2008
Early reports from Sadr
City and Baghdad suggest
that fighting between the Mahdi army and security forces has increased. Meanwhile,
two mass graves were found in Diyala province. At least 108 Iraqis were killed
and another 60 were wounded in violence across Iraq. No Coalition deaths were
reported.
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MONDAY APRIL 21, 2008 Updated at 7:30 p.m. EDT Apr. 21, 2008
At least 41 Iraqis were
killed and 112 more were wounded in the latest attacks. Much of the violence
involved continued fighting in Sadr City. Two
American soldiers were killed.
An IED in Salah ad Din province
killed two American soldiers today. Two
other American soldiers were wounded along with two Sons of Iraq members and a
civilian interpreter. Meanwhile, a U.S. patrol was blasted
by an IED, but casualties are as yet unreported.
In Baghdad, four
dumped bodies were found. An IED targeting a U.S. patrol in Kadhimiya
left one Iraqi killed and three
more wounded instead. U.S. forces killed
three suspects who launched an RPG attack at them in New Baghdad. In
a separate incident, a roadside bomb killed
three policemen and wounded four others, while another bomb injured
two civilians, also in New Baghdad. Three
council-members, one a female, were injured in separate incidents when bombs
were attached to their cars. Two roadside bombs in Mansour left no
casualties.
At least 23 Iraqis were killed and 123 more were wounded in attacks
across Iraq. Many of the wounded died either in Sadr City or during one of several
significant bombings. Also, three
Marines were killed in separate incidents, and two top aides to Grand
Ayatollah al-Sistani died as well.
A suicide
car bomber at a checkpoint near Ramadi killed
two Marines and wounded three more this morning. Two
policemen and 24 civilians were also wounded. A second car bombing, this one
at a police station in the city, wounded
20 people, including women and policemen.
Yesterday, a roadside bomb
killed
one Marine and wounded a second in Basra.
Tuesday update
Updated at 7:30 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2008
At least 56 Iraqis
were killed and 183 more were wounded in attacks across Iraq. Many of the
wounded died either in Sadr City or during one of several significant bombings.
Also, five U.S. servicemembers were killed in separate incidents, and two
top aides to Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani died as well.
Thursday: 3 US Soldiers, 16 Iraqis Killed; 24 Iraqis Wounded
At least 16 Iraqis were killed and 24 more were wounded during light
violence. Three American soldiers were killed as well, but in separate
accidents. Also, Britain is canceling
its drawdown of troops for the time being.
Two
American soldiers were killed and one was wounded during a vehicular accident
in Salah ad Din. One
Iraqi interpreter was also wounded. Another American
soldier was killed in a separate accident in Kuwait. Meanwhile, the MNF
denied
capturing former Vice President Izzat al-Douri.
Updated at 6:51 p.m. EDT, April, 24, 2008
At least 42 Iraqis
were killed and 38 more were wounded in the latest attacks. Three American
soldiers were killed as well, but in separate accidents. Also, Britain is
canceling its drawdown of
troops for the time being.
Updated at 8:50 p.m. EDT, April 25, 2008
Shi'ite cleric Moqtada
al-Sadr clarified recent comments about "open war" and urged his followers to
observe the ceasefire. At least 44 Iraqis were killed and another 120 were
wounded across Iraq. An IED killed
an American soldier south of Baghdad. Also, a delegation of lawmakers
wanting to assess the security situation in Basra were denied
access.
In a statement read to followers during Friday prayers, al-Sadr
again urged his followers
to observe a unilateral cease-fire he imposed on them last summer. He also clarified
recent statements about "open war" should the Iraqi government not hold up their
end of a truce worked out after recent clashes in Basra. He does not want Iraqis
of any sect to attack each other. Instead, he hopes they will unite to fight the
occupation, if he should declare the cease fire over. A senior aide said that
the Sadrists hope the statement will further curb the violence in Sadr City and
Basra. Attacks between the Mahdi army and Iraqi security forces followed a "security
crackdown" that many analysts believe was attempt to sideline al-Sadr ahead of
elections.
In Baghdad, three
bodies were found overnight. A roadside bomb wounded
three in Adhamiya. Gunmen attacked a checkpoint, injuring three
Iraqi soldiers; the soldiers then killed
five gunmen. U.S. forces killed
10 suspects in northeastern Baghdad and arrested
five in a southern neighborhood.
