Gunmen kill senior rural figure in Ninewa

March 19, 2009 - 11:30:33

NINEWA / Aswat al-Iraq:

Unknown gunmen on Thursday killed the mayor of Doberdan village of Baasheqa district, east of Mosul city, said a security source from Ninewa province.

“The armed men shot dead Khalil Dhahir Abdilrahman, and then escaped,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“Police forces started an investigation to apprehend the assassins,” he added.

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

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Bucca prison to be closed in summer 2009 – U.S. adviser

March 19, 2009 - 10:43:03

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

It is expected that Bucca prison will be closed in summer 2009, an adviser for the U.S. forces said on Thursday, explaining that the Multi-National Forces (MNF) in Iraq have released more than 2000 detainees so far this year.

“There are factors indicating that Bucca prison will be closed this year, after the number of detainees there will be reduced to 8,000,” Kareem al-Sayiab told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The remaining detainees in Bucca prison will be sent to two detention centers in Baghdad,” he said.

Al-Sayiab pointed out that the MNF still have around 13,250 prisoners detained in Iraq, 140 of them are Arabs, while 38 are minors.

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Civilian body found in Kut

March 19, 2009 - 07:26:44

WASSIT / Aswat al-Iraq:

Police forces found an unknown civilian body early Thursday in central Kut, a security source said.

“Policemen on the wee small hours of Thursday morning found an unknown civilian body in al-Abassiya neighborhood behind the blood bank in central Kut,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The body shows signs of gunshot wounds and was sent to the morgue,” he added.

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

SH (P)

Man, wife shot down in Kirkuk

March 18, 2009 - 06:43:36

KIRKUK / Aswat al-Iraq:

A group of gunmen on Wednesday broke into a house in Kirkuk city and killed a man and his wife before they fled to an unknown destination, according to a local police chief.

“Autopsy reports say that the dead were shot with a pistol,” Brig. Sarhad Qadir told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. The incident occurred in Huzayran neighborhood in southwestern Kirkuk city, Qadir noted, adding that an investigation is currently underway.

Kirkuk, an oil-rich and mixed city of Kurds, Turkmen, Christians and Arabs, lies 250 km northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

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Gunmen kill civilian, IED injures 2 in Mosul

March 18, 2009 - 06:17:28

NINEWA / Aswat al-Iraq:

A civilian on Wednesday was gunned down in southern Mosul, while two civilians were wounded in an explosive charge blast that ripped through the east of the city, according to a security source.

“On Wednesday, unknown gunmen driving a vehicle killed a civilian in al-Matahin neighborhood, southern Mosul,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “Meanwhile, two civilians were injured by an improvised explosive device (IED) that targeted a U.S. patrol vehicle in al-Zahraa neighborhood, eastern Mosul,” according to the same source.

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

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Gunmen shoot government employee in Mosul

March 18, 2009 - 04:52:42

NINEWA / Aswat al-Iraq:

An employee from the Displacement and Migration Department on Wednesday was shot by unknown gunmen in northern Mosul city, according to a local police source.

“The employee was shot while he was leaving his work in al-Arabi neighborhood, northern Mosul,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

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

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Roadside bomb targets IIP in Kirkuk

March 18, 2009 - 11:55:37

KIRKUK / Aswat al-Iraq:

A roadside bomb went off targeting a provincial headquarters of the Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP), central Kirkuk, wounding three civilians, said a police commander from the city.

“The explosive charge was planted near the headquarters,” Colonel Ahmed Smerani told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“Injuries were admitted to a nearby hospital,” he said.

“Investigations are underway in this regard,” he added.

The oil-rich city of Kirkuk lies 250 km northeast of Baghdad.

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Car bomb kills cop, injures 2 in Mosul

March 18, 2009 - 11:15:54

NINEWA / Aswat al-Iraq:

A policeman was killed and two others were wounded in a car bomb blast in eastern Mosul, a security source said.

“A suicide bomber blew up a car crammed with explosives near al-Nabi Younis mosque in eastern Mosul targeting a police vehicle patrol, killing a cop and injuring two,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

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

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Explosion leaves 4 casualties in Ba'aquba

March 18, 2009 - 10:44:22

DIALA / Aswat al-Iraq:

A civilian was killed and three others were wounded in a bomb explosion in central Ba'aquba, a security source said.

“An improvised explosive device went off on Wednesday afternoon (Mar. 18) in a popular marketplace in al-Mafraq neighborhood in central Ba'aquba, killing a civilian and injuring three,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

Ba'aquba, the capital of Diala, lies 57 km northeast of Baghdad.

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18 journalists killed in Iraq in 2008 – IJRDA

March 18, 2009 - 10:28:49

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

The Iraqi Journalists Right Defence Association (IJRDA) on Wednesday said that 18 pressmen have been killed in Iraq in 2008, compared to 43 in 2007, according to the IJRDA’s annual report issued on Wednesday.

“Two other journalists had died in accidents in 2008,” said the report that was received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The highest number of assassinated journalists was seven and was in Baghdad, and Mosul came second with five,” it added.

“Police forces were not able to capture any of the assassins who took part in these operations,” it noted.

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