60 killed, 113 wounded, al-Baghdadi arrested in Iraq

April 23, 2009 - 02:54:27

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

60 people were killed, including 32 Iranians, and 113 others were wounded, including 63 Iranians, in two suicide bombings in Baghdad and Diala, while Baghdad Operations Command announced that Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the emir of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq, was arrested.

32 people were killed and 63 others were wounded in the suicide bombing that targeted Iranian pilgrims at a restaurant in Imam Wess area in Diala, a security source from the province said on Thursday.

The preliminary toll from the suicide bombing attack that took place on Thursday afternoon in central Baghdad is 22 deaths and more than 30 wounded the official spokesman for the Baghdad Operation’s Command (BOC), General Qassim Atta, said.

Security forces on Thursday arrested Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the emir of an armed group called the Islamic State of Iraq, Atta added.

MH (P)/SR

Sahwa fighter killed north of Hilla

April 23, 2009 - 02:35:27

BABEL / Aswat al-Iraq:

A fighter from the tribal sahwa (awakening) forces was killed by unidentified gunmen’s fire north of the city of al-Hilla on Thursday, a security source in Babel said.

“Unknown gunmen opened fire on a sahwa fighter while he was inspecting sahwa checkpoints in his vehicle at al-Musayyab district, (45 km) north of Hilla, killing him instantly,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The gunmen escaped to an unknown place after the operation,” he said, not revealing further details.

Hilla, the capital city of Babel province, lies 100 km south of Baghdad.

AmR (P)/SR

Car bomb targets U.S. forces in Mosul

April 23, 2009 - 11:38:59

NINEWA / Aswat al-Iraq:

A booby-trapped car went off on Thursday targeting the U.S. forces in eastern Mosul, without causing any casualties, a police source said.

“A car crammed with explosives went off on Thursday (April 23) targeting U.S. forces in al-Nabi Younnes region in eastern Mosul, without leaving casualties,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

An improvised explosive device was detonated earlier targeting an Iraqi army vehicle patrol in al-Zahraa neighborhood in eastern Mosul, injuring two civilians.

Mosul, the capital of Ninewa, is 405 km north of Baghdad.

SH (P)/SR

Dhilou'iya people bid their casualties farewell

April 23, 2009 - 11:37:12

SALAH AL-DIN / Aswat al-Iraq:

 Hundreds of al-Dhilou'iya people participated in the ceremonies to bid farewell to those who fell in the suicide bombing that took place last night (April 22) at their city’s biggest mosque, leaving four dead people and 15 injured, in addition to causing huge damage to the mosque.

Ahmed Abdullah, who was wounded in the suicide bombing, said “when prayer doers gathered to perform the evening prayers, a young man entered the mosque dressed in a strange coat and shoes.”

“We tried to leave the mosque quickly after people started yelling ‘suicide bomber….suicide bomber,’” he explained.

“The explosion then occurred,” he noted.

Al-Dhilou'iya district of Salah al-Din province lies 90 km north of Baghdad.

MH (P)/SR

Baghdad explosion casualties up to 78

April 23, 2009 - 11:20:33

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

The casualties from the explosion that ripped through central Baghdad on Thursday rose to 28 deaths and 50 wounded, a police source said. “A suicide bomber blew himself up inside a restaurant amid a group of students in central Baghdad, killing 28 and injuring 50,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The students were celebrating their graduation,” he noted. A medical source had said earlier that ten people were killed and 40 were wounded in an explosion in central Baghdad believed to be happened by a car bomb.

SH (P)/SR

IED injures 2 civilians in Mosul

April 23, 2009 - 11:07:25

NINEWA / Aswat al-Iraq:

Two civilians were wounded on Thursday in an improvised explosive device explosion in eastern Mosul, a security source said. “An explosive charge went off on Thursday (April 23) targeting an Iraqi army vehicle patrol in al-Zahraa neighborhood in eastern Mosul, injuring two civilians,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. Mosul, the capital of Ninewa, lies 405 km north of Baghdad.

SH (P)/SR

U.S. serviceman dies in eastern Baghdad

April 23, 2009 - 07:30:28

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

One U.S. soldier has been killed in an attack in eastern Baghdad, raising the number of U.S. casualties in April 2009 to 12, according to the U.S. army.

“A Multi-National Division–Baghdad Soldier died April 22 from combat related injuries while conducting a patrol in eastern Baghdad.  The Soldier’s name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin,” read a U.S. army statement received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“MND-B will not release any additional details prior to notification of next of kin and official release by the DoD,” it noted. “The incident is currently under investigation,” the statement added.

The death brings the number of U.S. soldiers who have been killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003 to 4,275.

SS (S)

Gunmen kill storekeeper in Mosul

April 22, 2009 - 06:48:45

NINEWA / Aswat al-Iraq:

Unknown gunmen on Wednesday killed a storekeeper in eastern Mosul city, according to a local police source.

“On Wednesday, unidentified gunmen shot down a civilian inside his dairy store in al-Zuhour area, eastern Mosul,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. The motivations behind the attack remain unknown, the source noted.

Mosul, the capital city of Ninewa province, lies 405 km north of Baghdad.

SS (P)

IED wounds serviceman in Mosul

April 22, 2009 - 05:10:06

NINEWA / Aswat al-Iraq:

One Iraqi serviceman on Wednesday was injured in an explosive charge blast that ripped through western Mosul city, according to an army source.

“An improvised explosive device (IED) targeted an Iraqi army patrol vehicle in Souk al-Maash area, western Mosul, wounding a patrolman,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

Mosul, the capital city of Ninewa province, lies 405 km north of Baghdad.

SS (P)

=========================

Arrests:

17 wanted men arrested, explosive materials seized in Basra

April 23, 2009 - 10:11:25

BASRA / Aswat al-Iraq:

Police forces on Thursday arrested 17 wanted men during security raids waged in separate areas of Basra, the media office of the Basra police said.

“Police forces launched security raids in separate areas of Basra, where 17 wanted men were arrested,” the office told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The forces seized also 7kg of TNT in al-Shalamga region in eastern Basra on borders with Iran,” it added.

Basra is 590 km south of Baghdad.

SH (P)/SR

9 suspects nabbed in Falluja

April 22, 2009 - 07:22:27

ANBAR / Aswat al-Iraq:

Police forces in Anbar province on Wednesday captured nine suspects in southern Falluja city, according to a local police source.

“Police personnel arrested nine suspects in Karmat al-Falluja villages in light of intelligence tips received by the police…,” Maj. Mohammed Eliwi told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. Those arrested are believed to have been involved in acts of terrorism, the official explained.

Falluja, the largest city in Anbar, lies 45 km west of Baghdad; while Ramadi, the capital of the province, lies 110 km west of Baghdad.

SS (P)

29 arrested on criminal, terror charges in Thi-Qar

April 22, 2009 - 06:09:51

THI-QAR / Aswat al-Iraq: Twenty-nine men have been arrested on criminal and terror-related charges in different parts of Thi-Qar province throughout the past 24 hours, according to the local police department.

Those arrested are wanted on terror, murder, kidnap, robbery, fraud, and forgery charges, according to a police statement that was received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

Nassiriya, the capital city of Thi-Qar province, lies 380 km south of Baghdad.

SS (P)

3 sahwa fighters arrested north of Babel

April 23, 2009 - 05:03:09

BABEL / Aswat al-Iraq:

Three sahwa (awakening) tribal fighters were arrested on Thursday for planting an improvised explosive device near a checkpoint in northern Babel, police said.

“An informer notified the police that an IED was planted by gunmen on a motorbike in the main street in al-Musayyab district, (45 km) north of al-Hilla city,” a security source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“Searching the area, the policemen found a bike in the possession of the sahwa checkpoint. The bike had some remains of explosives on it,” the source said, adding the sahwa fighters in the checkpoint were arrested.

Hilla, the capital city of Babel province, lies 100 km southwest of Baghdad.

AmR (P)

4 AQI members captured in Wassit

April 23, 2009 - 04:51:47

WASSIT / Aswat al-Iraq:

Four persons believed to be members of Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) were captured during a search raid conducted in northern Wassit province on Thursday, a security source said.

“The 2nd Contingent of the Quick Response Squad (QRS) arrested four wanted AQI members in a raid to search several houses of wanted persons in al-Suwayra district, (135 km) north of al-Kut city,” the QRS commander, Maj. Azeez Lateef al-Imara told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The arrested persons are wanted on charges of involvement in murder and kidnapping operations against civilians and carrying out armed attacks against security forces in the province,” said Imara, adding they were captured in accordance with Article 4 of law on terror.

Kut, the capital city of Wassit province, lies 180 km southeast of Baghdad.

AmR (P)