48 Iraqis Killed in War Attacks, Including 6 Executed by Death Squads, According to March 23, 2008 News Reports

48 Iraqis Killed in War Attacks, Including 6 Executed by Death Squads, According to March 23, 2008 News Reports

Yaqen.net reported that a US Hummer military vehicle was destroyed by a roadside bomb in Tikrit, resulting in the killing or injuring the crew.

The Iraq News Agency (INA) reported that the number of Iraqi army officers and soldiers killed in the Mosul suicide attack reached 16.

IED near Kirkuk kills 4 Iraqi servicemen

Kirkuk - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 23 /03 /2008 Time 10:27:13
Kirkuk, Mar 23, (VOI) –

Four Iraqi army servicemen, one holding the rank of lieutenant, were killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near their patrol north of Touz Khormato district, southwest of Kirkuk, on Sunday, police said.

"An IED targeted an Iraqi army 4th Division patrol in the village of al-Maftoul, (25 km) north of Touz Khormato district, killing three soldiers and an officer in the rank of lieutenant," a security source, who did not want to be named, told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI).
The source did not reveal further details.

Kirkuk, a city of mixed ethnic and religious groups of Kurds, Turcomans, Assyrians, Shiites, and Sunnis lies 250 km northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

AE/SR

Rocket attack leaves 5 killed, 8 wounded in eastern Baghdad

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 23 /03 /2008 Time 10:27:13
Baghdad, Mar 23, (VOI) –

Five civilians were killed and eight others wounded when a Katyusha rocket landed on a residential section in eastern Baghdad on Sunday, police said.

"A Katyusha missile fell on the al-Kamaliya area in eastern Baghdad, and hit civilian houses, killing five and wounding eight others. Women and children were among the killed and wounded," a security source, who requested anonymity, told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI).
Kamaliya is close to Sadr City.

A police source had said a Katyusha missile, fired by unidentified men, left four civilians wounded after landing on a house in Sadr City, eastern Baghdad. "The rocket attack caused damage to a number of houses," he said.

Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone came under attack with Katyusha missiles early on Sunday morning, but no organization has yet claimed responsibility for the incident. The U.S. army, which confirmed the attack, did not provide any details.

AE/SR

Armed attack in Baghdad leaves 7 dead, 16 wounded

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 23 /03 /2008 Time 10:27:13
Baghdad, Mar 23, (VOI) –

Seven people were killed and 16 others wounded in an armed attack in southeastern Baghdad on Sunday, police said.

"Unidentified gunmen opened fire on civilians in the southeastern Baghdad area of al-Za'afaraniya, killing seven people and wounding 16 others," a security source, who requested anonymity, told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI).
"Women and children are among the victims," the source said.
Za'afaraniya is inhabited by a mixed Shiite and Sunni population.

AE/SR

Mosul suicide blast leaves 43 casualties

Ninewa - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 23 /03 /2008 Time 10:27:13
Ninewa, Mar 23, (VOI) –

The death toll from the suicide truck bomb attack that targeted an Iraqi army headquarters in western Mosul on Sunday rose to 13 soldiers and 30 others, including 12 civilians, wounded, an official police source in Ninewa said.

"The truck bomb, which went off near an Iraqi army headquarters in al-Harmat area, western Mosul, left 13 Iraqi soldiers killed and 30 others wounded. 12 civilians were among the wounded," the source, who declined having his name mentioned, told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI).

The same source had earlier said the attack left five Iraqi soldiers killed and 30 others, including five civilians, wounded.
Mosul, the capital city of Ninewa province, lies 402 km north of Baghdad.

AE/SR

Fortified Green Zone mortared in Baghdad

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 23 /03 /2008 Time 10:27:13
Baghdad, Mar 23,(VOI)- Baghdad, Feb 23, (VOI) –

An Iraqi security source said several mortars hit the fortified Green Zone, central Baghdad, on Sunday morning, and he could not say if there were casualties because of the attack.

"The attack occurred this morning and there were no information available so far of any casualties," the source, who requested anonymity, told Aswat al-Iraq, Voices of Iraq- (VOI).
Meanwhile, an eyewitness living near to the area said "10 explosion were heard and smoke were seen rising from the Green Zone."

The U.S.-protected Green Zone in central Baghdad houses the Iraqi government offices and the compound of the U.S. and British embassies.
SK

Civilian killed, 14 others wounded in mortars attacks in Baghdad

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 23 /03 /2008 Time 10:27:13
Baghdad, Mar. 23, (VOI) –

One civilian was killed and 14 others were wounded on Sunday when three mortar shells hit three different places in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad Operations Command said.
"One mortar shell hit the area near to Ibn-Sena hospital, the second near to Al-Ghazali cemetery, and the third near to Al-Sa'don gasoline station at the center of Baghdad," Major General Qassim Atta told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI).

He added "One civilian was killed and 14 others were wounded in the three attacks."
Atta explained "Earlier on Sunday morning, a number of mortar shells hit the edges of the Green Zone in Baghdad, without causing any casualties."

Since February 2007, Iraqi security forces, supported by U.S. Army troops, conduct a wide-range security plan in Baghdad – capital of Iraq, called Fardh Al-Qanoon (Law Imposing) plan, which aims at hunting down armed groups in Baghdad.
MH/SK

Six unknown bodies found in Baghdad

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 23 /03 /2008 Time 10:27:13
Baghdad, Mar. 23, (VOI) –

Iraqi police patrols found on Sunday six unidentified corpses dumped in different parts of the Iraqi capital Baghdad , an Iraqi police source said.

"Iraqi police patrols found six unknown bodies of people who were killed in mysterious circumstances, at various places of Baghdad," a source from the Iraqi Ministry of Interior (MOI) told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI).

He added "Four of those corpses were found at Al-Rusaffa (eastern) side of Baghdad, two of them in Palestine Street, one in Zayiona neighborhood, and one in Al-Sha'ab neighborhood, while the other two bodies were found at Al-Karkh (western) side of the city, one in Al-Amil and one in Al-Bayya neighborhoods."
"Signs of gunshots, mainly to the heads, were found on the corpses," the security source asserted.
MH/SK

Senior police officer killed in Diala

Diala - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 23 /03 /2008 Time 10:27:13
Daila, Mar 23, (VOI)-

Commander of a local police commandos force was killed on Sunday along with a escort when unknown gunmen attacked him in Diala's capital city of Ba'aqouba, a security source said.

"An armed group intercepted the motorcade of Abu Saida police commandos force, Brigadier Akram Alwan while in Ba'aqouba," the source, who requested anonymity, told Aswat al-Iraq- Voices of Iraq- Voices of Iraq- (VOI).

The source added "the gunmen opened a volley of bullets at his car, killing him along with one escort."
The source provided no further details.

Meanwhile, clashes broke out on Sunday afternoon, in Ba'aqouba city, 57 km northeast of Baghdad, between police forces and gunmen, believed to be from al-Qaeda Organization.
"The clashes left a policeman dead and two more wounded," the same security source said.
SK

Army officer killed, 18 wounded in separate incidents in Ninewa

Ninewa - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 23 /03 /2008 Time 10:27:13
Ninewa, Mar 23, (VOI) –

An Iraqi army officer was killed and 10 others, including three army soldiers, wounded in a suicide car bomb attack on an army patrol in eastern Mosul on Sunday, police said.

"A suicide bomber blew up his explosive vehicle on Sunday afternoon near an Iraqi army checkpoint in al-Nour neighborhood, eastern Mosul city, killing an army captain and wounding 10 others, including three army soldiers," a senior security official told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq- (VOI).

The wounded were rushed to a hospital for treatment while the body was removed to a morgue, the source said, not adding further details on the incident.
Meanwhile, another Ninewa police source told VOI an improvised explosive device (IED) went off near an Iraqi army patrol in al-Hadbaa neighborhood in northern Mosul, wounding seven civilians.

Earlier on Sunday, a suicide car bomb attack that targeted an Iraqi army headquarters in al-Haramat area killed 13 Iraqi servicemen and wounded 30 others, including 12 civilians.

AE/SR

Car bomb blast leaves 5 killed, 8 wounded

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 23 /03 /2008 Time 10:27:13
Baghdad, Mar 23, (VOI) –

Five people were killed and eight others wounded in a car bomb attack in al-Shoala area, northern Baghdad, Iraqi police said on Sunday.

"The explosive vehicle went off near an intersection in al-Shoala, killing five civilians and wounding eight others," the source told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI) on condition of anonymity.

"The wounded were rushed to nearby hospitals while police sealed off the scene of the attack," the source added.

AE/SR

40 killed, 59 wounded until Sunday afternoon

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 23 /03 /2008 Time 10:27:13
Baghdad, Mar 23, (VOI) –

Forty people were killed and 59 others injured in acts of violence in different areas of Iraq during the past 24 hours, security sources said.

An Iraqi interior ministry source told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI) that a Katyusha missile fell on the al-Kamaliya area in eastern Baghdad, and hit civilian houses, killing five and wounding eight others, adding women and children were among the victims.
A police source said four civilians were wounded when a rocket fired by unidentified gunmen landed on a house in the eastern Baghdad district of Sadr City.

Another Iraqi police source told VOI that unidentified gunmen opened fire on civilians in the southeastern Baghdad area of al-Za'afaraniya, killing seven people and wounding 16 others, including women and children.
Also in Baghdad, a police source said a rocket fired by unknown gunmen landed on a house in Arkhita, one of the neighborhoods of the central Baghdad district of al-Karrada, wounding two civilians.

In Mosul, northern Iraq, an official police source told VOI that the death toll from the suicide truck bomb attack that targeted an Iraqi army headquarters in western Mosul on Sunday rose to 13 soldiers and 30 others, including 12 civilians, wounded.
The same source had earlier said the attack left five Iraqi soldiers killed and 30 others, including five civilians, wounded.

In Diala, east of Baghdad, a security source told VOI that U.S. warplanes pounded the village of Nahr al-Sabah, Baladruz district, (45 km) southeast of Baaquba, killing 15 gunmen of al-Qaeda network.
In Kut, southern Iraq, a police source said five mortar shells were fired successively by unidentified gunmen on the areas of al-Kafaat and al-Hawra in central Kut during the early hours of Sunday, killing three civilians and wounding two night watchmen.

AE/SR

23,000 Iraqi detainees in U.S. detentions – U.S. official

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 23 /03 /2008 Time 10:27:13
Baghdad, Mar 23, (VOI) –

More than 23,000 Iraqis are detained in U.S. detention centers in Iraq, including 1,720 Qaeda elements and 7,000 takfirists, said a U.S. official responsible for the detention centers on Sunday.

Major General Douglas Stone explained in a press conference in Baghdad that there are 240 Arab citizens among the detainees, who came to Iraq from neighboring countries to conduct armed operations against the Multi National Forces (MNF) and Iraqi people.
"500 detainees are teenagers, younger than 17," he added.

Stone said, "During the past period, arrest operations increased as military operations increased, along with the surge in troops. Currently, arrest operations are fewer, as the number of released detainees is increasing."

He underlined that a detainee's release is based on the condition that they will not rejoin any military operations.

Stone revealed that there is existing evidence that could convict ten percent of the detainees, and they will be tried by the Iraqi judiciary system, and that 700 detainees are attributed to the Iraqi government, and will be held accountable under the General Amnesty Law.

He also welcomed the United Nation's (UN) intention to visit U.S. detentions in Iraq, "We have no obligations or reservations regarding the UN's visit to U.S. detentions in Iraq to follow up on detainees' conditions and affairs," stressing, "Red Cross representatives and the Iraqi Minister of Human Rights Wijdan Salem carry out regular visits to the detention centers."

Stone asserted that all detainees in U.S. detention centers in Iraq are registered in the Red Cross and Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights' records.

Concerning violence in detention centers, Stone said "violent and riot acts were minimized after the measures that we took to separate detainees who belong to 'terrorist' or extremist organizations from others," revealing that a detainee survived an assassination attempt carried out by Qaeda elements detained within one of the centers.

According to Stone, last year witnessed five security violations and violent operations inside the detention centers, but he did not mention further details in this regard.

Stone explained, "The initial period of a citizen's detention process is at the brigade, and it does not last more than two weeks, after which they are transferred to the division where a specialized committee monitors the case after six months. This is the second phase."
He added, "If a detainee remains in detention for more than 331 days, the committee that consists of lawyers and psychiatrists re-examine the case, and whether the detainee can be released if he does not present a security threat."

Stone referred that 40 Arab detainees were released from U.S. detentions in Iraq, since May 2007 until February 2008, under supervision of the Iraqi government.
MH/SR

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