2 US Soldiers, 16 Iraqis Killed in War Attacks, Including Two Killed by US Forces in Kut, Provoking Protests, April 26, 2009

Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

2 US Soldiers, 16 Iraqis Killed in War Attacks, Including Two Killed by US Forces in Kut, Provoking Protests

April 26, 2009

Yaqen.net reported the following news:

- Ansar Al-Sunna announced an attack on US forces in Al-Karkh junction with four mortar rounds.

- US forces announced the death of a US soldier in Kirkuk, two more soldiers were also announced killed.

- 6 US soldiers were injured in an attack on their patrol in Mosul.

- 45 Iraqis were arrested in Karbala by a joint Iraqi-US force.

- Corpses of the two Iraqi journalists, who were kidnapped on Friday, were found in Al-Kadhimiya.

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U.S. soldier killed in Kirkuk

April 26, 2009 - 06:34:31

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

A U.S. soldier was killed in an attack in the northern Iraq city of Kirkuk, raising to 15 the number of U.S. servicemen killed this April, according to a release by the U.S. army in Iraq.

“A soldier from the Multi-National Force – North (MNF-N) died of wounded he had sustained in an attack on a patrol in Kirkuk province on Saturday,” read the release as received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

The death brings to 4,278 the number of U.S. soldiers who have been killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003.

AmR (P)

2 Iraqi soldiers killed in Mosul

April 26, 2009 - 06:25:34

NINEWA / Aswat al-Iraq:

Two Iraqi soldiers were killed in an attack by gunmen on a checkpoint in eastern Mosul city, where two involved in the attack were arrested, according to a security source in Ninewa on Sunday.

“The soldiers were killed on Saturday evening when gunmen opened fire at a checkpoint in al-Karama neighborhood, eastern Mosul,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“Iraqi army forces fired back at the assailants and detained two of them, who are now under investigative custody,” the source added.

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

AmR (P)

2 brothers gunned down in Mosul

April 26, 2009 - 06:42:35

NINEWA / Aswat al-Iraq:

Unknown gunmen on Sunday killed two brothers in northern Mosul city, according to a local security source.

“On Sunday, unidentified gunmen opened fire on two brothers, including a soldier, in al-Rashidiya area, northern Mosul, killing them on the spot,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The gunmen have fled to an unknown destination,” the source added.

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

SS (P)

Basra prison riot kills 1, wounds 2

April 26, 2009 - 02:31:41

BASRA / Aswat al-Iraq:

One inmate on Sunday was killed and two others were wounded during a riot at Basra’s al-Mina prison, according to a local security source.

“One detainee was killed and two others suffered medium wounds as a result of a fire that was started by one of the prisoners,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. The source did not explain how the riot was brought under control by Iraqi army and police personnel. The prison holds more than 700 inmates, the source added.

The Shiite city of Basra lies 590 km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

SS (P)

2 sahwa fighters wounded in blast in Babel

April 26, 2009 - 12:21:45

BABEL / Aswat al-Iraq:

Two tribal sahwa (awakening) fighters were wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off near a checkpoint in northern Babel province on Sunday, police said.

“The IED went off today (April 26) near a sahwa checkpoint in the district of al-Iskandariya, (50 km) north of al-Hilla city, leaving two fighters wounded and causing damage to the checkpoint,” a security source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

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

AmR (P)

7 AQI gunmen killed in Dalou'iya clashes

April 26, 2009 - 11:00:35

SALAH AL-DIN / Aswat al-Iraq:

Seven alleged members of Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) were killed and nine others captured in clashes between the U.S. forces and gunmen in southern al-Dalouiya district on Sunday, a local police source said.

“The U.S. forces notified al-Dalouiya police about the killing of seven gunmen and the capture of nine others in clashes in the southern part of the district,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

Meanwhile, the Dalouiya Support Council chief said on Sunday that the clashes between AQI and U.S. troops had started in the area of Misaeda, (9 km) southern Dalouiya at a late hour of Saturday evening.

“The clashes are still going on. The U.S. forces conducted an air drop in the district during the clashes,” Nazem al-Juburi told Aswat al-Iraq.

AmR (P)

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US Forces Raid in Kut

2 senior officers arrested for green-lighting U.S. raid without gov’t approval

April 26, 2009 - 05:52:36

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

Iraqi Minister of Defense Abdulqadir al-Obeidi on Sunday ordered the arrest of two senior officers for giving the green light to a U.S. raid without a government approval.

The minister ordered concerned authorities to conduct a high-level investigation into the incident, according to an Iraqi Ministry of Defense statement that was received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency. Earlier today, a local security source said that U.S. forces raided a house in 14 Tammuz neighborhood, central Kut, during the early hours of Sunday, killing a man and his sister-in-law and arresting four other family members.

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

SS (P)

Wassit council says U.S. raid violates security pact

April 26, 2009 - 03:32:01

WASSIT / Aswat al-Iraq:

The U.S. raid on a house in Kut city, during which a man and a woman were killed and four others detained, has violated the security agreement signed with Iraq, the chairman of Wassit’s provincial council said on Sunday.

“The council has urged the U.S. side to release the four detainees and to provide a written explanation for the raid…,” Mahmoud Abdulreda said during a press conference on Sunday, which was attended by Aswat al-Iraq news agency. The council has also demanded the U.S. army to make a pledge not to conduct similar raids without the approval of local authorities in the province, Abdulreda added. Earlier today, a local security source said that U.S. forces raided a house in 14 Tammuz neighborhood, central Kut, during the early hours of Sunday, killing a man and his sister-in-law and arresting four other family members.

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

SS (P)

U.S. forces kill wanted man, arrest 6 in Kut

April 26, 2009 - 01:49:07

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

U.S. army personnel on Sunday killed a wanted man who belongs to Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr’s Jaish al-Mahdi (JAM) and arrested six others in Kut city.

“Coalition forces arrested six suspected members of the JAM Special Groups and Promise Day Brigade and killed one suspected network criminal early Sunday in Al Kut,” read a U.S. army statement that was received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “In an operation fully coordinated and approved by the Iraqi government, Coalition forces targeted a network financier, who is also responsible for smuggling weapons into the country to support JAM Special Groups and Promise Day Brigade,” the statement noted.

“Coalition forces approached a residence believed to be the location of the suspect, as forces approached the residence an individual with a weapon came out of the home. Forces assessed him to be hostile, and they engaged the man, killing him. During the engagement, a woman in the area moved into the line of fire and was also struck by gunfire. A Coalition forces medic treated her on site, but she died of her wounds before she could be evacuated,” according to the statement.

“Forces apprehended six other JAM Special Groups and Promise Day Brigade associates without incident,” it added. “The Government of Iraq has requested the temporary assistance of US forces for the purpose of supporting Iraq in its effort to maintain security and stability, including cooperation in the conduct of operations against terrorist and criminal groups, and remnants of the former regime,” it concluded.

SS (S)

U.S. army denies killing man, detaining 4 in Kut

April 26, 2009 - 10:39:19

BAGHDAD /Aswat al-Iraq:

The U.S. army in Iraq denied that its soldiers killed a man and detained four of his family during a raid on his house in central al-Kut city on Sunday, an official army source said.

“The Multi-National Force (MNF) clashed today (April 26) with a suspect while raiding his house in al-Kut. There was a woman in the caught in the crossfire. The MNF medics tried to treat her wounds but she died before she could be moved to a hospital,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

Earlier, a local security source said a man and a woman were killed by U.S. soldiers’ fire during a raid on their house in central al-Kut city.

“U.S. forces raided a house in 14 Tammuz neighborhood, central Kut, during the early hours of Sunday, killing a man and his sister-in-law and arresting four other family members,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq.

“The two bodies were carried to al-Zahraa hospital morgue in Kut. The four arrested people were all men, including a local police officer in the rank of captain,” he added.

“All the detainees are brothers and were taken to the Delta military base, (7 km) western Kut, a post taken by the Multi-National Force as headquarters,” he said.

Aswat al-Iraq failed to get information from the U.S. side.

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

Hundreds of local residents of al-Kut staged a march protesting the killing of a man and a woman and detention of four family members by the U.S. forces on Sunday, according to a police source in Wassit.

“The protesters marched through the city and gathered in front of the province’s administration building and ended in front of the house of the assaulted family,” the source said.

AmR (S)

Protest in Kut over death of man, woman by U.S. fire

April 26, 2009 - 10:11:17

WASSIT / Aswat al-Iraq:

Hundreds of local residents of al-Kut on Sunday staged a march protesting the killing of a man and a woman and detention of four family members by the U.S. forces on Sunday, according to a police source in Wassit.

“The protesters marched through the city and gathered in front of the province’s administration building and ended in front of the house of the assaulted family,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

Earlier on Sunday (April 26), a local security source said a man and a woman were killed by U.S. soldiers’ fire during a raid on their house in central al-Kut city.

“The two bodies were carried to al-Zahraa hospital morgue in Kut. The four arrested people were all men, including a local police officer in the rank of captain,” he added.

“All the detainees are brothers and were taken to the Delta military base, (7 km) western Kut, a post taken by the Multi-National Force as headquarters,” he said.

Aswat al-Iraq failed to get information from the U.S. side.

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

AmR (S)

Man, woman killed by U.S. forces’ fire in Kut

April 26, 2009 - 07:11:56

WASSIT / Aswat al-Iraq:

A man and a woman were killed by U.S. soldiers’ fire during a raid on their house in central al-Kut city on Sunday, a police source in Wassit said.

“The two bodies were carried to al-Zahraa hospital morgue in Kut. The four arrested people were all men, including a local police officer in the rank of captain,” he added.

“All the detainees are brothers and were taken to the Delta military base, (7 km) western Kut, a post taken by the Multi-National Force as headquarters,” he said.

Aswat al-Iraq failed to get information from the U.S. side.

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

AmR (P)

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

Arrests:

3 AQI members captured in Diala

April 26, 2009 - 09:02:05

DIALA / Aswat al-Iraq:

Policemen in Diala arrested three members of Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), including two suicide bombers northeast of Baaquba city, the province police chief said on Sunday.

“Security forces launched an operation in different areas of al-Saadiya area, Khanaqin district, (155 km) northeast of Baaquba, arresting three wanted AQI members,” Maj. General Abdulhussein al-Shimari told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“Two of the three were suicide bombers who had two explosive belts in their possession. Apparently, they were planning bombing operations inside the province,” Shimari added.

Three days ago, Khanaqin, one of the disputed areas between the central government and the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region’s government, had witnessed a suicide bombing attack by a man who blew up his explosive vest amidst a group of Iranian pilgrims inside a restaurant, killing 56 and wounding 39 others.

Baaquba, the capital city of Diala province, lies 57 km northeast of Baghdad.

AmR (P)

18 arrested in Shahraban for involvement in suicide attack

April 26, 2009 - 07:59:51

DIALA / Aswat al-Iraq:

Eighteen wanted persons were captured for suspected involvement in a suicide blast inside a restaurant in Shahraban district, Diala, which targeted a group of Iranian pilgrims, a local police source said on Sunday.

“A police force launched a search raid on Saturday evening (April 25) in several neighborhoods in Shahraban district, (45 km) south of Baaquba, arresting 18 wanted men suspected of involvement in a suicide blast that targeted Iranians,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

A suicide bomber with an explosive vest had attacked a restaurant in Shahraban, where a group of Iranian pilgrims visiting holy Shiite shrines in Iraq were the target. Fifty-six of them were killed and 39 others wounded.

“Investigations are underway with the arrested suspects,” the source said, not giving more information.

Baaquba, the capital city of Diala province, lies 57 km north of Baghdad.

AmR (P)

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