5 Iraqis killed in violence in Iraq

    BAGHDAD, Dec. 12, 209 (Xinhua) --

Five people were killed and seven others injured in attacks in the provinces of Kirkuk in northern Iraq and Diyala in northeast of Baghdad, the police said.

    Three policemen were killed and three others injured when a roadside bomb went off near their vehicle in the al-Khadraa district in southern the city of Kirkuk, some 250 km north of Baghdad, a local police source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

    Iraqi security forces cordoned off the scene and searched the area looking for attackers and for more possible roadside bombs, the source said.

    In Diyala, a farmer was killed and two others were injured when unknown gunmen opened fire on them at a ranch near the town of Khalis, some 70 km northeast of Baghdad, an anonymous provincial police source told Xinhua.

    In separate incident, a woman was shot dead at another ranch near the provincial capital city of Ba'aqouba, some 65 km northeast of Baghdad, the source said, adding that Iraqi security forces sealed off the scene and detained an armed suspect.

    Also in Diyala, two people, including an old man, were critically injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire on them at the al-Dojma village some 75 km north of Baquba, the source added.

    Iraqi security forces carried out several search operations across the province and detained five suspects, believe to be involved in terrorist acts against civilians and security forces, he said.

    Sporadic attacks continue in Iraq as part of recent deterioration in security which shaped a setback to the efforts of the Iraqi government to restore normalcy in the country ahead of the country's national elections early next year.

Editor: Li Xianzhi

2 U.S. soldiers killed in non-combat incident

December 12, 2009 - 09:27:21

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

Two U.S. soldiers were killed in a non-combat incident on Thursday and Friday, upping the U.S. fatalities this month to three, according to a U.S. army release on Saturday.

“A Multi-National Force – Iraq soldier was killed in a non-combat incident that is now being investigated,” read the release as received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

In a separate incident, another U.S. soldier was killed also of non-combat reasons, the U.S. army said in a separate release.

The reported deaths have brought to 4,370 the number of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003, including 150 killed in 2009.

Eleven were killed in November 2009, nine in October, ten in September and seven in August, the lowest number of monthly U.S. deaths since 2003.

July 2009, which saw U.S. combat troops pulling out of Iraqi cities, registered eight deaths.

U.S. fatalities began to decrease since the beginning of 2009: sixteen soldiers were killed in January, 17 in February and nine in March.

The death toll, however, grew in April to reach 19 and then to 25 in May, including five shot down by a fellow soldier in a shooting incident inside a camp near Baghdad International Airport.

Fifteen were killed in June, including five in “non-combat” incidents.

Some 486 U.S. soldiers were killed in 2003, 849 in 2004, 846 in 2005, 822 in 2006 and a record high of 904 in 2007. The toll went down dramatically in 2008 to reach 314.

Still, November 2004, the month that saw fierce clashes between U.S. forces and gunmen in the restive city of al-Falluja, Diala province, is the month with the highest U.S. deaths: 137.

AmR (S)

First U.S. fatality in December

December 10, 2009 - 05:14:04

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

A U.S. soldier was killed in a non-combat incident in Baghdad on Thursday, the first U.S. death during the month of December 2009, according to a U.S. army statement.

“A Multi-National Force (MNF) soldier died in a non-combat incident in Baghdad on Thursday,” read the release as received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The incident is currently under investigations,” it added, not giving further details.

The reported death has brought to 4,386 the number of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003, including 148 killed in 2009.

Eleven were killed in November 2009, nine in October, ten in September and seven in August, the lowest number of monthly U.S. deaths since 2003.

AmR (S)

2 policemen killed, 3 wounded in Kirkuk

December 12, 2009 - 08:06:00

KIRKUK / Aswat al-Iraq:

Two policemen were killed and three others wounded in an improvised explosive device attack in southwestern Kirkuk city on Saturday, a police official said.

“An IED went off on Saturday morning near a Kirkuk Emergency Police Department patrol in al-Khadraa neighborhood, southwestern Kirkuk, leaving two policemen killed and three others wounded and causing severe damage to their patrol vehicle,” Col. Ahmed Shamirani, the KEPD director, told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The wounded were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment,” he added, not giving further details.

In a separate incident, a source from the Kirkuk Joint Coordination Center (JCC) told Aswat al-Iraq that a rocket was fired from within the district of al-Huweija, (65 km) southwest of Kirkuk, but no reports on the spot where it landed.

The oil-rich Kirkuk, a city of mixed Turkmen, Kurdish and Arab population, lies 250 km northeast of Baghdad.

AmR (P)

9 killed, wounded in two blasts south of Baghdad – BOC

December 11, 2009 - 02:51:23

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

Three persons were killed and six others wounded when two improvised explosive devices went off south of Baghdad on Friday, the Baghdad Operations Command said in a statement.

“The two explosive charges ripped through the area of al-Qora Ghoul, south of Baghdad, leaving three people killed and six others wounded,” read the BOC statement as received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The two blasts occurred nearly at the same time,” it added, not giving further information about the incident.

AmR (P)

Iraqi soldier wounded in Mosul blast

December 12, 2009 - 02:33:06

NINEWA / Aswat al-Iraq:

One Iraqi serviceman on Saturday was injured in an explosive charge blast in Mosul, according to an army source.

“This noon, an improvised explosive device (IED) hit an army vehicle near Souk al-Maash, western Mosul, slightly wounding one soldier,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. The soldier has left the hospital after receiving necessary treatment, the source noted.

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

SS (P)/SR

Policeman wounded in Mosul blast

December 12, 2009 - 11:59:03

NINEWA / Aswat al-Iraq:

A policeman was wounded in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in western Mosul city on Saturday, a local police source in Ninewa said.

“The IED went off near a federal police patrol in the area of al-Zanjili, western Mosul, leaving one policeman in the patrol wounded,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

He did not give further details.

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

AmR (P)

Civilian wounded in north Hilla blast

December 11, 2009 - 06:23:15

BABEL / Aswat al-Iraq:

A civilian man was wounded in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast north of al-Hilla city on Friday, a local police source in Babel said.

“An IED attached to a water tanker went off in al-Mahawil district, (16 km) north of Hilla, leaving its driver wounded,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The blast caused severe damage to the tanker,” the source added, not giving further information about the incident.

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

AmR (P)

Iraqi soldier wounded by gunmen bullets in Kirkuk

December 11, 2009 - 04:21:56

KIRKUK / Aswat al-Iraq:

An Iraqi soldier was wounded when his vehicle came under unidentified gunmen fire in southwestern Kirkuk city on Friday, according to an officer in al-Muqdad police station.

“Gunmen in a driving by vehicle opened fire at a soldier of the Iraqi army’s 12th Division at al-Ihtifalat Square, southwestern Kirkuk, leaveing the soldier wounded,” Ghazi Ali told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The soldier, a driver of the Iraqi army’s 4th Contingent commander, was in a critical condition after the attack and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment,” Ali added.

He did not give further details.

The oil-rich Kirkuk, a city of mixed Arab, Kurdish and Turkmen population, lies 250 km northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

AmR (P)