10 US Soldiers, 27 Iraqis Killed, Including 3 Executed by Death Squads, Two Churches Attacked in Kirkuk, According to January 9 News Reports

Nine American soldiers were killed in the first two days of a new offensive on Iraqi fighters holed up in districts north of the capital, the U.S. military reported Wednesday.

The losses came as many (Iraqi fighters) fled U.S. and Iraqi forces massing in Diyala, a province of palm and citrus groves that has defied the trend toward lower violence. The campaign's scope is nationwide but is mainly focused on gaining control of Diyala and its most important city, Ba'aqouba, which al-Qaida has declared the capital of its self-styled Islamic caliphate.

Six soldiers were killed and four were wounded Wednesday in a booby-trapped house in Diyala, the U.S. command said. It also announced that three U.S. soldiers were killed and two wounded in an attack Tuesday in Salahuddin province, north of Diyala.

All indications are that (Iraqi) fighters retreated north from Diyala, presumably to Salahuddin, before the offensive began Tuesday, the top U.S. commander in northern Iraq, Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, told reporters in Baghdad.

Three servicemen were killed and two others were wounded in attacks on coalition forces in Salah al-Din province, the U.S. army said on Wednesday.

"Three Multi-National Division – North Soldiers died from injuries sustained during an attack while conducting operations in Salah ad Din province Jan. 8," read a U.S. army statement received by the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).

"Additionally, two more Soldiers were injured and evacuated to a Coalition hospital," the statement added, providing no further details of the attack. Tikrit, the capital city of Salah al-Din province, lies 175 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. Earlier today, the U.S. Department of Defense announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom in Baghdad's southwestern area of Salman Pak.

The deaths brings the number of the U.S. troops killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003 to 3,915, according to statistics released by the U.S. army. Of this number, 23 have been killed in December 2007, the month with the second lowest number of U.S. fatalities after February 2004 during which 20 soldiers were killed.

The total U.S. fatalities in 2007 amounted to 900, compared to 822 in 2006. Eleven soldiers have been killed in 2008 so far. November 2004, which witnessed fierce battles between U.S. forces and Iraqi fighters in Falluja city, Anbar province, remains the month that saw the highest U.S. death toll with 137. April 2004 comes second with 135, followed by May 2007 during which 126 U.S. soldiers were killed.

The U.S. Department of Defense announced late Tuesday the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. "Pfc. Timothy R. Hanson, 23, of Kenosha, Wis., died on Jan 7 in Salman Pak, southwest of Baghdad, of wounds suffered from enemy small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga," the Multi-National Force-Iraq said in a statement received by the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).

20 persons killed, 10 al-Qaeda elements arrested under Operation Raider Harvest

At least 20 persons were killed and 10 (Iraqi fighters) were arrested on Tuesday night in Muqdadiya during Operation Raider Harvest, waged by Iraqi and U.S. forces in the district, the commander of the Diala operations said on Wednesday.

"At least 20 persons were killed and scores of suspected (Iraqi fighters) were arrested in different areas of Muqdadiya, northeast of Ba'aqouba," General Abdul Karim al-Ruba'ei told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).

Two Car bombs Explode Targeting Christian Churches in Kirkuk

January 9, 2008

Yaqen.net reported that two car bombs exploded near two Christian churches in Kirkuk today. Nobody was killed but the two churches were partly damaged.

- Yaqen.net also reported that two roadside bombs targeted US patrols east of Baghdad today. No reports about casualties were possible because US forces prevented journalists from reaching the area.

- Yaqen.net reported that Iraqi fighters downed a US unmanned plane south of Balad today. They carried parts of it with them before they disappeared in the groves.

- 3 bodies were found in Baghdad.

- Iraqi fighters attacked a base housing Maghaweer police forces.

- 3 US-recruited Sahwa fighters were killed, two were injured when their patrol was attacked with a roadside bomb.

- US-recruited Sahwa fighters attacked a base belonging to Alqaeda in Iraq south of Mosul.

- Iraqi fighters attacked Al-Habbaniya base, used by US forces and US-backed Iraqi forces with two Grad Rockets.

- An Iraqi policewoman's body was found in Mosul.

- Four people were injured by a mortars attack on a Mosul police department.

- Clashes broke out between Iraqi fighters and a joint US-Iraqi patrol, west of Mosul.

- A US convoy was attacked by a roadside bomb in Mosul.

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